The black-tie elegance of the Washington Hilton was shattered on Saturday evening when a festive gathering of the political and media elite turned into a scene of survival. As guests sat for the annual White House Correspondents' Dinner (WHCD), the sounds of celebratory toasts were replaced by the sharp crack of gunfire.
President Donald Trump and the guests were immediately evacuated and they were all safe. Now, attention has turned to the suspect behind the WHCD shooting, who was later identified as Cole Allen, an anti‑Trump, anti‑Christian and Ukraine war advocate, according to posts attributed to him on social media.
