United States President Donald Trump has reacted from the White House after a gunman stormed the Washington Hilton ballroom during the annual White House Correspondents' Dinner. The president was safely transported to the White House following the disruption of the traditional event in Washington DC.
Trump Announces Postponement of Event
Donald Trump has reacted from the White House, where he announced the postponement of the event. He confirmed that a Secret Service agent was shot, but assured the servicemember is alive and doing well.
After safely getting to the American presidential villa, Trump confirmed that one Secret Service officer was shot during the attack. Speaking at a briefing alongside the homeland security secretary and the FBI director, Trump said the assailant charged a security checkpoint armed with multiple weapons.
Suspect Taken Down by Secret Service
The suspect was taken down by what the president described as very brave members of the Secret Service. One officer was struck from close range. His bulletproof vest saved his life.
"I just spoke to the officer, and he's doing great," Trump told reporters. "He has very high spirits, and we told him we love him and respect him, and he's a very proud guy."
The president called the dinner an event dedicated to freedom of speech that was meant to unify. He also announced that he had posted a picture of the man in custody along with security camera footage showing the start of the shooting. Trump said he shared the material in the interest of transparency.
The dinner has been postponed for 30 days. The injured officer is expected to make a full recovery.
