The state visit by King Charles III and Queen Camilla to the United States will go ahead as planned, Buckingham Palace said on Sunday (April 27), following a shooting at a Washington media gala attended by top leadership, including the US President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance.&nbsp;“Following discussions on both sides of the Atlantic through the day, and acting on the advice of the Government, we can confirm the State Visit by Their Majesties will proceed as planned,” the palace said in a statement.&nbsp;The four-day visit, organised to mark the historic ties between the United Kingdom and the United States as America celebrates 250 years of independence, will see Charles and Camilla travel to Washington and New York.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-says-suspect-in-correspondents-dinner-wrote-anti-christian-manifesto-1777221525024">Trump says suspect in Correspondents’ Dinner wrote anti-Christian manifesto</a>&nbsp;The statement follows a major security scare at the gala dinner on Saturday night at the Washington Hilton, where a suspect identified as Cole Tomas Allen, a 31-year-old from Torrance, California, allegedly attempted to breach the security perimeter. According to law enforcement, Allen charged a magnetometer screening area outside the ballroom at approximately 8:36 pm, armed with a shotgun, a handgun, and multiple knives.&nbsp;A Secret Service agent was shot during the confrontation but survived due to a bulletproof vest. Trump and Vance were safely evacuated. Investigators said they are reviewing writings recovered from the scene to establish a motive.&nbsp;Following preliminary investigations, Acting US Attorney General Todd Blanche said the suspect “likely was targeting the president” and added, “We believe he was targeting administration officials in this attack.”&nbsp;“We’re still investigating a motive, and that will take at least a couple of days,” he said in an interview with NBC, adding that the findings remain preliminary.&nbsp;Addressing reporters at the White House after the incident, Trump described the attacker as a “very sick person” and said he had wanted to continue attending the event.&nbsp;“It was a little different evening than we thought, but we’re going to do it again,” he said, adding that the event would be rescheduled within 30 days.&nbsp;“We have to make it better. We’ll make it safer, I guess, right? But we’re going to make it even better,” Trump added.

The four-day visit, organised to mark the historic ties between the United Kingdom and the United States as America celebrates 250 years of independence, will see Charles and Camilla travel to Washington and New York.

The state visit by King Charles III and Queen Camilla to the United States will go ahead as planned, Buckingham Palace said on Sunday (April 27), following a shooting at a Washington media gala attended by top leadership, including the US President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance. “Following discussions on both sides of the Atlantic through the day, and acting on the advice of the Government, we can confirm the State Visit by Their Majesties will proceed as planned,” the palace said in a statement. The four-day visit, organised to mark the historic ties between the United Kingdom and the United States as America celebrates 250 years of independence, will see Charles and Camilla travel to Washington and New York. Also Read: Trump says suspect in Correspondents’ Dinner wrote anti-Christian manifesto The statement follows a major security scare at the gala dinner on Saturday night at the Washington Hilton, where a suspect identified as Cole Tomas Allen, a 31-year-old from Torrance, California, allegedly attempted to breach the security perimeter. According to law enforcement, Allen charged a magnetometer screening area outside the ballroom at approximately 8:36 pm, armed with a shotgun, a handgun, and multiple knives. A Secret Service agent was shot during the confrontation but survived due to a bulletproof vest. Trump and Vance were safely evacuated. Investigators said they are reviewing writings recovered from the scene to establish a motive. Following preliminary investigations, Acting US Attorney General Todd Blanche said the suspect “likely was targeting the president” and added, “We believe he was targeting administration officials in this attack.” “We’re still investigating a motive, and that will take at least a couple of days,” he said in an interview with NBC, adding that the findings remain preliminary. Addressing reporters at the White House after the incident, Trump described the attacker as a “very sick person” and said he had wanted to continue attending the event. “It was a little different evening than we thought, but we’re going to do it again,” he said, adding that the event would be rescheduled within 30 days. “We have to make it better. We’ll make it safer, I guess, right? But we’re going to make it even better,” Trump added.

The four-day visit, organised to mark the historic ties between the United Kingdom and the United States as America celebrates 250 years of independence, will see Charles and Camilla travel to Washington and New York.

King Charles’ US state visit to proceed as planned after Washington gala shooting

The Washington Hilton has once again found itself at the centre of a presidential security scare, after a shooting incident forced Donald Trump to be escorted out of a high-profile dinner, reviving memories of the attempted assassination of Ronald Reagan at the same venue in 1981.&nbsp;Speaking late Saturday (April 25) night, Trump described the hotel as “not a particularly secure” facility after being rushed out of the ballroom where the incident unfolded. His remark echoed concerns that date back more than four decades, when the hotel first became etched in presidential history.&nbsp;According to the Associated Press, Trump was briefly taken to a specially designed presidential suite near the entrance, a feature introduced after the 1981 attack to allow rapid evacuation in emergencies.&nbsp;Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/-not-my-first-time-says-trump-after-whcd-shooting-here-s-a-timeline-of-assassination-attempts-against-the-us-president-1777192022014">WHCD shooting: Here’s a timeline of assassination attempts against Trump</a>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">&quot;A man charged a security checkpoint armed with multiple weapons, and he was taken down by some very brave members of Secret Service.&quot; - President Donald J. Trump <a href="https://t.co/N3UTveVNFM">pic.twitter.com/N3UTveVNFM</a>&mdash; The White House (@WhiteHouse) <a href="https://twitter.com/WhiteHouse/status/2048245137059270735?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 26, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">BREAKING: Trump was just rushed off the stage during the White House Correspondents’ Dinner. <a href="https://t.co/s9w1FW9BJ7">pic.twitter.com/s9w1FW9BJ7</a>&mdash; Clash Report (@clashreport) <a href="https://twitter.com/clashreport/status/2048199993584914772?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 26, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

<h2>The 1981 attack</h2>On March 30, 1981, John Hinckley Jr opened fire as Reagan exited the hotel. According to archives from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Hinckley fired six shots from a 0.22-calibre revolver. One bullet ricocheted off the presidential limousine and struck Reagan in the chest. The injury initially went unnoticed until the president began coughing up blood. Reagan was hospitalised for 12 days before returning to the White House.&nbsp;The attack also left several others wounded, including press secretary James Brady, Secret Service agent Timothy McCarthy and police officer Thomas Delahanty. In response, the hotel underwent structural changes, including the construction of a secure garage connected to a dedicated elevator and staircase leading directly to the presidential suite.<h2>Panic at a modern-day event</h2>More than four decades later, the same venue was hosting the White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner when chaos broke out. The evening had begun as a formal gathering, with Trump addressing journalists during his first attendance as president. However, the atmosphere shifted abruptly when loud bangs rang out inside the ballroom.&nbsp;Eyewitnesses told the Associated Press that armed security personnel rushed in, shouting for guests to get down. Around 2,300 attendees had been dining when the incident occurred. Music stopped mid-performance, plates crashed to the floor, and agents swarmed the room. Cries of “Stay down” and “Get down” echoed as Trump was quickly escorted away from the stage.&nbsp;Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/-i-just-want-to-go-home-erika-kirk-breaks-down-after-gunfire-erupts-at-white-house-dinner-watch-1777185192218">'I just want to go home': Erika Kirk breaks down after gunfire at White House</a><h2>Questions over security</h2>The Washington Hilton has long hosted high-profile events while remaining open to regular guests, with security often concentrated around event spaces rather than the entire property. Footage later shared by Trump showed a man running through metal detectors and past law enforcement, prompting officers to respond with weapons drawn. Authorities identified the suspect as Cole Tomas Allen, 31, from Torrance, California. He was reportedly carrying a shotgun, a handgun and multiple knives.&nbsp;Officials believe he may have been staying at the hotel, potentially explaining how he accessed the premises, though his check-in details were not immediately confirmed. The Associated Press reported that the hotel had been closed to the public from 2 pm ahead of the 8 pm event. Guests attending the dinner underwent multiple layers of screening, including ticket checks and magnetometer scans conducted by the United States Secret Service and the Transportation Security Administration. Officials described the arrangements as a “multi-layered protection” system and said it functioned as intended, despite the breach.&nbsp;

A 2026 shooting at the Washington Hilton during the White House Correspondents’ Dinner mirrored the 1981 Reagan assassination attempt, sparking renewed concerns over the historic venue’s presidential security protocols.

The Washington Hilton has once again found itself at the centre of a presidential security scare, after a shooting incident forced Donald Trump to be escorted out of a high-profile dinner, reviving memories of the attempted assassination of Ronald Reagan at the same venue in 1981. Speaking late Saturday (April 25) night, Trump described the hotel as “not a particularly secure” facility after being rushed out of the ballroom where the incident unfolded. His remark echoed concerns that date back more than four decades, when the hotel first became etched in presidential history. According to the Associated Press, Trump was briefly taken to a specially designed presidential suite near the entrance, a feature introduced after the 1981 attack to allow rapid evacuation in emergencies. Also read: WHCD shooting: Here’s a timeline of assassination attempts against Trump

A 2026 shooting at the Washington Hilton during the White House Correspondents’ Dinner mirrored the 1981 Reagan assassination attempt, sparking renewed concerns over the historic venue’s presidential security protocols.

What happened in 1981? A hotel, two presidents, a deja vu: WHCD shooting revives memories of Washington Hilton’s dark past

Erika Kirk, the widow of Charlie Kirk, broke into tears while she was being escorted out following a shooting incident during the White House Correspondents’ Dinner on Saturday, April 28. Donald Trump and other officials were also evacuated from the Washington Hilton after sounds resembling gunfire were heard. A video that surfaced on social media shows Erika visibly distressed, saying, “I just want to go home,” as two men quickly guide her away from the scene.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">Erika Kirk was seen crying after shots were fired at the White House Correspondents Dinner 😬 “I just want to go home” <a href="https://t.co/oUA7I26OJK">pic.twitter.com/oUA7I26OJK</a>&mdash; kira 👾 (@kirawontmiss) <a href="https://twitter.com/kirawontmiss/status/2048231546851647548?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 26, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

&nbsp;The incident took place while Trump was attending the formal gathering in Washington. Soon after the gunfire erupted near a security checkpoint outside the ballroom, the Secret Service got active rapidly and Trump was take off the stage as armed personnel flooded the room. The chaos that followed drove guests to duck under tables as security personnel moved swiftly to secure the area.<h3>Several officials were present at the site</h3>Those present included Donald Trump, First Lady Melania Trump, vice president JD Vance, secretary of state Marco Rubio, defence secretary Pete Hegseth and several cabinet members as well as senior officials.&nbsp;A witness said Robert F. Kennedy Jr. was escorted out by his security team, with guards supporting him on both sides. He appeared disoriented, described as “delirious”, and was reportedly struggling to walk, with his feet dragging as they led him away.&nbsp;Authorities later confirmed a suspect had been detained. The United States Secret Service said the gunfire occurred near the main security entrance, triggering a lockdown as police surrounded the Washington Hilton. Helicopters were also seen monitoring the area from above.&nbsp;This shooting unfolded nearly after seven month of the death of Trump ally Charlie Kirk. The famous conservative activist was killed on September 10 after being fatally shot while he was speaking at a university in Utah. &nbsp;Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-stumbles-and-falls-while-being-evacuated-amid-white-house-correspondents-dinner-shooting-video-1777177348085">Trump stumbles and falls while being evacuated amid White House Correspondents’ Dinner shooting - VIDEO</a>&nbsp;

Donald Trump and other officials were also evacuated from the Washington Hilton after sounds resembling gunfire were heard. A video that surfaced on social media shows Erika visibly distressed, saying, “I just want to go home,” as two men quickly guide her away from the scene.

Erika Kirk, the widow of Charlie Kirk, broke into tears while she was being escorted out following a shooting incident during the White House Correspondents’ Dinner on Saturday, April 28. Donald Trump and other officials were also evacuated from the Washington Hilton after sounds resembling gunfire were heard. A video that surfaced on social media shows Erika visibly distressed, saying, “I just want to go home,” as two men quickly guide her away from the scene.

Donald Trump and other officials were also evacuated from the Washington Hilton after sounds resembling gunfire were heard. A video that surfaced on social media shows Erika visibly distressed, saying, “I just want to go home,” as two men quickly guide her away from the scene.

'I just want to go home': Erika Kirk breaks down after gunfire erupts at White House dinner - VIDEO

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King Charles’ US state visit to proceed as planned after Washington gala shooting

WHCD shooting revives memories of Washington Hilton’s dark past

'I just want to go home': Erika Kirk breaks down after gunfire at White House