President Donald Trump Speaks Following Shooting at Correspondents’ Association Dinner

President Donald Trump said his impression was that the suspect who disrupted Saturday’s White House Correspondents’ Association dinner in Washington, DC, was a “lone wolf” and was in custody as law enforcement investigates the incident.

“A man charged a security checkpoint armed with multiple weapons, and he was taken down by some very brave members of Secret Service,” Trump said at a press briefing at the White House Saturday.

“He’s in custody and they’re asking him a lot of questions,” the president added. He indicated that police were searching the suspect’s residence in California.

Todd Blanche, acting US attorney general, from left, US President Donald Trump, and Kash Patel, director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

Secret Service apprehended a suspect at the Washington Hilton, where the event was being held in the US capital. Trump and other senior US officials were evacuated from the event immediately after after shots were fired just outside the ballroom. Trump earlier said Vice President JD Vance, First Lady Melania Trump and members of his Cabinet were safe.

Read more: Trump to Speak After Shooting Incident at Correspondents Dinner

“As you know this is not the first time in the past couple of years that our republic has been attacked by a would-be assassin who sought to kill,” Trump said. “In light of this evening’s events, I asked that all Americans recommit with their hearts and resolving our difference peacefully.”

Officer Shot

The president said there had been no indication of additional potential threats. Asked if he believed the incident was related to the Iran war, Trump said he did not think that was the case.

Trump praised the efforts of law enforcement and said that one officer was shot, but had been protected by wearing a bullet-proof vest. That officer is “doing great,” Trump said.

“I don’t care how many people you have, how good they are. They can be the greatest people you have, the greatest security in history — if you have a whack job who’s got a brain, but it’s a little bit distorted, or a lot distorted, they can make trouble,” he said.

The president was joined by FBI Director Kash Patel and acting Attorney General Todd Blanche for the press conference.

Blanche said the investigation was ongoing and that authorities expected to file charges shortly. Patel said that law enforcement officials were already conducting investigations and that an evidence response unit was examining the ballistics from the scene, including a “long gun and the shell casings.”

Plans to Reschedule

The dinner was canceled and guests were asked to leave the venue following the incident. Trump said the event would be rescheduled within the next 30 days.

Trump, when asked about his immediate reaction to the incident as it unfolded, said he had heard a sound and thought is was the noise from a server dropping a tray in the ballroom. “It was pretty loud noise, and it was from quite far away,” Trumps said.

“Melania was very cognizant. It’s a bad noise, and I — and we were whisked away. And again, the performance of the Secret Service, and it was very quick,” Trump said, praising the response of the agents. “It was a matter of seconds before we were out the door. We very much wanted to continue.”

Witnesses said they saw an individual running past security, down the stairs and toward the ballroom hosting the event. Security officials fired multiple rounds at the individual, witnesses said.

The dinner is a fundraiser with proceeds going in part to scholarships for journalism students. Attendees number in the thousands, attracting scores of journalists, politicians, business leaders and celebrities.

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