US President Donald Trump was evacuated from the White House correspondents' dinner on Saturday night after a gunman opened fire near a security checkpoint at the event in Washington DC.

The suspect, identified as 31-year-old Cole Tomas Allen, is in custody. Officials said he was armed with multiple weapons and appears to have acted alone. One federal agent was hit in an exchange of fire, but was protected by his bullet-proof vest.

On Sunday, acting US Attorney General Todd Blanche said preliminary findings suggest the suspect was "targeting administration officials", "likely" including the president.

Thousands of guests, including senior politicians, journalists and public figures, had been gathered in the ballroom for the annual dinner.

In an address from the White House after the incident, Trump said it was "always shocking when this happens, that never changes".

"When you are impactful they go after you, when you are not impactful they leave you alone," he added. "It's a dangerous profession."

He later described the gunman as a "lone-wolf whack job", and praised law enforcement for their swift response.

CCTV footage posted by Trump from the Washington Hilton hotel, where the dinner was taking place, shows a person rushing past security officers, who then turn and chase him.

Police said security officials and the suspect exchanged fire. Citing police sources, CBS said at least five to eight shots were fired. A Secret Service agent was struck in the exchange, but has since been released from hospital.

Inside the ballroom itself, where more than 2,000 people had gathered for the event, footage showed Trump and the first lady at their seats on a stage at the front of the room when loud bangs were heard in the distance.

Security agents flanked the president and first lady to rush them off the stage towards an exit. As they were leaving, a video shows Trump appearing to fall down to the floor.

In an interview with the 60 Minutes programme, Trump said that he heard the instruction "please go down on the floor", adding that the Security Service "pretty much" wanted him to crawl out of the room.

Trump also said he "wasn't making it that easy" for the Secret Service to escort him from the ballroom initially because he "wanted to see what was happening".

Attendees were seen ducking under their tables and shielding themselves behind chairs as several Secret Service agents held their weapons on stage.

Several BBC correspondents were in attendance at the dinner, and described scenes of widespread confusion following the sound of gunshots.

The room was briefly locked down, before an announcement that the event would be delayed and rescheduled. Attendees were ushered from the room, with many attempting to report on the unfolding events.

Immediately after the incident, the president wrote on Truth Social: "The shooter has been apprehended, and I have recommended that we "LET THE SHOW GO ON" but, will entirely be guided by Law Enforcement."

In a subsequent post he said law enforcement had requested he and the first lady leave the premises.

Trump later posted a close-up photo of a shirtless man on the floor with his hands cuffed behind his back, with Secret Service personnel standing around him.

The White House correspondents' dinner is an American press tradition that dates back to 1921, and is historically attended by the sitting president. Trump was last in attendance in 2011, and this was the first time he had attended as president.

Speaking from the White House an hour or so after the incident, the president said that a "very sick man" had been taken into custody after he charged security with a "powerful weapon".

Trump said one Secret Service agent was shot at very close range in the incident, but was saved by his bullet-proof vest.

The president said he had spoken to the officer who was "in very high spirits, and we told him we love him and respect him, and he's a very proud guy".

He described a room that was "totally unified", with a "tremendous amount of love and coming together".

Trump also referred to two previous attempts on his life - at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, in July 2024, and while Trump was golfing in Palm Beach, Florida, in September 2024.

He said it was "always shocking when this happens, that never changes", noting that the first lady was "rather traumatised" by the incident.

Reflecting on the incident the following day, Trump told the 60 Minutes programme: "I wasn't worried. I understand life, we live in a crazy world."

When asked about Melania Trump's reaction to the commotion, he said she looked "very upset".

"People don't like having it said that they were scared. But certainly, I mean, who wouldn't be when you have a situation like that?" he told CBS.

The president also thanked the media, who he says were "very responsible" in their coverage of the unfolding situation.

In his first interview on Sunday following the shooting, Trump said the alleged gunman had "hatred in his heart" and was "strongly anti-Christian".

He told Fox News he did not know quite how dangerous his job would be when he ran for president, adding: "If you're a consequential president you're in much more danger than if you're not a consequential president."

Trump said he had "really wanted" to continue the event but protocol prevented this. He praised the "outstanding" reaction of law enforcement, adding the suspect came rushing in like "an NFL running back" and they "stopped him cold".

The White House correspondents' dinner will be rescheduled within 30 days, the president said.

"I think it's really bad for a crazy person to be able to cancel something like this," he told CBS, adding "there are great people in the press too".

The suspect has been identified as Cole Tomas Allen of Torrance, California, according to law enforcement sources quoted by US media.

The 31-year-old told law enforcement officers that he wanted to shoot Trump administration officials, two sources told CBS.

At a press conference, Washington DC's interim police chief Jeffery Carroll said the alleged gunman was a guest at the Washington Hilton hotel, where the event was taking place.

Carroll said he was "armed with a shotgun, a handgun, and multiple knives".

Pictures later emerged showing FBI agents and police searching an area at a California address believed to be linked to the suspect.

Investigators are also reviewing writings from the suspect, which state he wanted to specifically target administration officials, a senior US official told CBS News.

One of Allen's family members alerted police after receiving writings from him before the attack. The writings sent to family members reportedly did not specifically mention the White House Correspondents' Dinner.

It says the gunman wanted to target members of the Trump administration "from highest-ranking to lowest" and that while guests and hotel staff were not the intended targets, they would be attacked if necessary to get to the officials.

BBC News has not independently verified the alleged writings, which have been described as a manifesto and were reportedly sent to the suspect's family members before the attempted attack.

Allen describes himself as a mechanical engineer, game developer and teacher on LinkedIn.

According to his profile, he studied mechanical engineering at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech), before graduating with a master's in computer science from California State University in 2025.

Caltech confirmed to CBS in an email that Allen had graduated from the institute in 2017, but provided no further details.

A computer science professor who taught Allen at California State University described him as "soft-spoken, very polite, a good fellow".

"I am very shocked to see the news," he told the Associated Press news agency.

Since 2020, Allen worked part-time for a tutoring firm in Torrance called C2 Education, and in December 2024 he was named "teacher of the month".

It is unclear if he is still employed by the company. The Torrance Unified School District told CBS in a statement that Allen has never been an employee of their district.

Los Angeles County's voter registration records appear to show he had no registered party preference.

According to a Federal Election Commission record, seen by BBC Verify, in October 2024 Allen donated $25 (£18) to the fundraising platform ActBlue with the money earmarked for Kamala Harris's presidential campaign.

Jeanine Pirro, US attorney for Washington, said he was facing two charges - using a firearm during a crime of violence and assault on a federal officer using a dangerous weapon. He will be formally charged on Monday in federal court.

Acting US Attorney General Blanche told CNN it "remains to be seen" whether more charges will be raised against the suspect, adding he could "absolutely" be charged with attempted assassination depending on the evidence.

The suspect is expected to be charged with assault of a federal officer and using a firearm during a crime of violence, officials have said.

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President Trump and Vice-President Vance were rushed off the stage, after gunshots were heard at the event at the Washington Hilton hotel.