The first visual of the suspect who allegedly fired gunshots at a hotel where US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump were attending the White House Correspondents’s Dinner has surfaced. The grainy picture shows armed security personnel standing over a man pinned to the ground.
The suspect can be seen shirtless, with a sheet covering the bottom half of his body. The picture was shared by Russian state-backed news broadcaster RT on X. The event disrupted by the major scare was taking place at the Hilton hotel in Washington.
Another high-resolution close-up shot of the alleged shooter was shared by Trump later on social media.
WASHINGTON SHOOTING: BRIEF OVERVIEW
The security incident resulted from an armed man, carrying a shotgun, trying to breach the venue’s security, according to officials.
After the sound of shots, dinner attendees immediately stopped talking and people started screaming, “Get down, get down!”
Hundreds of guests dove under the tables as US Secret Service officers in combat gear ran into the dining room.
Trump and the first lady had bent down behind the dais before being hustled out by Secret Service officers as commotion swept the banquet hall.
Other attendees also ducked for safety as the gunshots rang out. About an hour after being evacuated, Trump said on Truth Social that the “shooter had been apprehended,” even as law enforcement continued to assess the situation.
“Quite an evening in D.C. Secret Service and Law Enforcement did a fantastic job,” the president added. Shortly afterwards, he posted, “The First Lady, plus the Vice President, and all Cabinet members, are in perfect condition.”
An unnamed FBI official cited by Reuters said the suspect had fired a shot at a Secret Service agent. The agent was hit in an area covered by protective gear and escaped unharmed, the official added.
Anthony Guglielmi, a Secret Service spokesman, said the service was investigating a shooting near the main screening area at the entrance to the event.
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(With inputs from agencies)