- Attendees at White House dinner allegedly took wine bottles amid gunfire panic
- Gunman fired shots outside security checkpoint before entering White House event
- Secret Service swiftly evacuated President Trump and subdued the suspect
As the gunfire incident triggered panic and evacuation at the White House during the Correspondents' Dinner, some attendees were allegedly seen picking up wine and champagne bottles while security personnel rushed to manage the situation.
In one of the videos now going viral, a woman is seen picking up two wine bottles. In the background, a group of three, each holding a bottle, is seen drinking and clicking selfies.
“So, there you have press members STEALING wine bottles: this is who the press is! Repugnant!” one user wrote while sharing the video.
“Now, we understand ‘looting' and the personalities that do it!” another commented.
“I don't find it funny. I think it further shows us who they really are. Someone just tried to shoot up the place and they're disconnected from that fact,” a person said.
The incident took place on Saturday night when US President Donald Trump was attending the high-profile dinner along with First Lady Melania Trump, journalists, celebrities and political figures.
According to reports, the situation escalated around 8.30 pm ET, when an individual suddenly rushed towards the ballroom where Trump was present. Guests were seated inside the packed ballroom at the time, many of them having dinner when the disruption began.
Almost simultaneously, outside the venue, a man carrying a shotgun attempted to force his way through a security checkpoint. He fired shots which prompted an immediate response from Secret Service agents stationed at the location. A brief exchange of gunfire followed outside the building.
Inside, the response was swift. Trump was quickly surrounded by Secret Service personnel with their weapons drawn. They rushed him off the stage through a back exit. Attendees were seen ducking under tables as fear spread across the hall.
During the exchange outside, one security agent was reportedly struck by a bullet. But he remained unharmed as he was wearing a bulletproof vest. Within seconds, the gunman was overpowered and stopped before he could enter the main ballroom.
Law enforcement officials later identified the suspect as Cole Tomas Allen, a 31-year-old man from Los Angeles, who was reportedly working as a teacher and video game developer. Authorities said he had checked into the hotel as a guest ahead of the event.
Trump later shared images that showed the suspect pinned to the ground without a shirt and with his hands tied behind his back as officials secured the area.
