Panic, gunfire and confusion tore through one of Washington's most high-profile evenings, but it was a tearful walk through a hotel car park that set social media ablaze, as Erika Kirk found herself at the centre of a bitter row over whether her emotional reaction was real or rehearsed.
What began as a formal gathering at the White House Correspondents' Dinner quickly descended into chaos when a gunman breached security near the Washington Hilton. Witnesses described hearing multiple shots and smelling gunpowder as fear spread across the ballroom.
