Inside the room during White House Correspondents' Dinner shooting
Inside the room during White House Correspondents' Dinner shooting
Rebecca Morin, USA TODAYSun, April 26, 2026 at 5:24 AM UTC
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Three quick pops rang out across the ballroom floor.
I swiveled my head across the room, expecting to see a tray of fallen food. It was tight quarters in the ballroom of more than 250 tables, after all.
Instead, the last thing I saw before I was pulled under our table was the doors of one of the entrances bursting open.
Just an hour before an armed man stormed past security to try to enter the Washington Hilton’s International Ballroom – where President Donald Trump, first lady Melania Trump, Vice President JD Vance and top members of the president’s cabinet were in attendance – hundreds of people dressed in tuxedos and gowns were leisurely making their way down to the ballroom for the annual White House Correspondents' Association dinner. Including me.
1 / 0Trump officials evacuate White House press dinner amid reported shooting
Security officials evacuate U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) as a possible shooter opened fire during the annual White House Correspondents' Association dinner in Washington, D.C., U.S., April 25, 2026. President Donald Trump, who was in attendance, said a shooter was apprehended in a social media post.Trump and first lady Melania Trump were evacuated out of the White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner minutes after it began, as attendees took cover on the floor.
The dinner was set to begin at 8 p.m. ET. And I was there to report on an inside look of Washington’s hottest dinner, often called “nerd prom.” This one was already particularly historic: Trump was attending for the first time as president. Little did I know how newsworthy the event would be.
The International Ballroom is massive. More than 250 tables were squished together inside. A long table where the White House Correspondents’ Association board members, Trump, Melania Trump and Vance were all seated was at the front of the room. Behind the table, a banner read “Celebrating the First Amendment” in all caps.
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The dinner started out normally. The association board was introduced. CBS reporter and WHCA President Weijia Jiang welcomed the guests. There was a presentation of colors by the United States Armed Forces Color Guard. The national anthem was sung.
Then, it was time to eat before the full program began – including Trump delivering his own remarks.
Waiters were trying to squeeze their way through the tightly packed sea of tables when I heard the three quick bangs. As my eyes scanned the room for the source of the noise, I heard someone whisper: “Gunshots.”
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Agents draw their guns after loud bangs were heard during the White House Correspondents' dinner at the Washington Hilton in Washington, DC, on April 25, 2026.
Several entrances to the ballroom burst open, and a wave of attendees rushed to take cover beneath their tables. I was pulled under by a colleague. With shaky hands, I quickly typed “shots” into our work chat for the event at roughly 8:35 p.m. ET. “Shots fired,” I quickly followed.
I could hear the sound of what I later learned was the Secret Service and other security officers running into the room. Sheltering on the floor with a white table cloth blocking my view, I thought a scuffle was taking place in another part of the room. It was the Secret Service hustling Trump, the first lady and the vice president off stage.
Attendees around me were on the floor, some on their sides, others on their stomachs. Others, including myself, tried to peek their phones up to see what was happening. Someone chanted, “USA."
Guests make calls at the annual White House Correspondents’ Association dinner after a reported shooting incident in Washington, D.C., U.S., April 25, 2026
Then, the movement settled briefly, a sign that it was OK to finally stand up. People got up off the floor to look around and try to see why there was a commotion. One person was being escorted out, seemingly hurt from quickly having to duck down. Chairs were strewn across the floor.
Then, hundreds of journalists were on their phones – trying to make calls and send messages, rushing toward each other to discuss what to do. The service, despite there being Wi-Fi, was spotty. Some outlets were reporting there was a gunman. It was unclear where in the hotel, what his status was and how close he was to the ballroom.
A gunpowder smell filled the room as I tried to get messages out on what we were seeing and hearing in the ballroom.
The confusion continued as we were told to leave. And then we were told to stay because the dinner was going to go on. In the end, due to security protocol, we all had to evacuate.
Maroon napkins were strewn across the ballroom floor like confetti. A few got caught on my heel as I finally evacuated the building with a sea of other reporters.
My night wasn’t over, though. It was time to get to work.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Inside the room during White House Correspondents' Dinner shooting
Source: “AOL Breaking”
