Trump unhurt after 'lone wolf whack job' shooting at White House Correspondents’ Dinner - as gunman in custody

The US president and First Lady had taken their seats just a few minutes earlier and were in conversation at their table at the Washington Hilton hotel event, when they were interrupted by what Trump said he thought was someone "dropping a tray".

President Trump said a Secret Service agent was shot at but was saved by his bulletproof vest, after a gunman armed with multiple weapons "charged" towards the event, according to law enforcement officers.

Security footage shows a man sprinting through the metal detectors, as officers race toward him with their guns drawn.

Trump, other administration officials and members of Congress were evacuated from the room by security as the event unfolded.

Footage shows other attendees at the gala taking cover under tables as armed security swept the event.

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The suspect has now been identified as 31-year-old Cole Tomas Allen, who is understood to have been a guest in the hotel.

Police say the suspect was armed with a shotgun, a handgun and multiple knives.

He was not shot, and is being evaluated in the hospital.

A post by President Trump appears to show Allen pinned to the ground after being apprehended by officers.

It is understood he is in a state of undress after being searched for explosive devices, although this has not been confirmed.

Allen, from Torrance, California, faces charges including assaulting an officer with a dangerous weapon - with acting attorney general Todd Blanche saying additional charges will be filed.

Jeanine Pirro, US attorney for Washington, said the suspect will be arraigned before a federal court on Monday.

Washington DC's police chief said it is "too soon" to know who the suspect intended to target or what the shooter's motivation was.

Footage is also emerging of FBI agents and police officers searching an address believed to be linked to the alleged gunman.

Images and footage shows a heavy police presence in the neighbourhood of Torrance, California.

Trump addressed reporters from the White House shortly after the incident and vowed to reschedule the event within the next 30 days.

The White House Correspondents' Association Dinner is an annual gala, but it's the first time the president has attended after boycotting during his first term.

Saturday's incident at the Washington Hilton on Connecticut Avenue is the same hotel in which Ronald Reagan was shot and wounded in 1981.

Speaking just after the incident, Trump said the suspect "was a sick person, a very sick person."

"He was running full blast, and they got him before he got any further. I was very far away, he wasn’t anywhere close to breaching the doors of the ballroom. My impression is he was a lone wolf wack job.”

Journalist Victoria Churchill, who was at the gala, told LBC that people were "a little bit confused" as the situation initially unfolded.

"I was on the left-hand side pretty much about 80% to the back of the room. And what I heard was 3 or 4 shots in quick succession from behind me. So, you know, these were obviously taken outside the room, but that was kind of what we heard.

"You know, like I said, we had just— the band had come and Weijia [Jiang], the president of the Correspondents Association, she had said a few brief remarks but kind of released everybody to dinner.

"I'd, you know, I'd finished my salad and we were kind of all waiting for the meal to actually be served...We were waiting on our main course and then we just heard that.

"And, you know, I think a couple of people were a little bit confused, you know, they thought maybe somebody crashed into something, like, you know, somebody drops a platter or something like that."

The Director of the Secret Service, Sean Curran, commended his agents actions tonight, and said the Secret Service would continue its mission.

"We saw exactly what our brave men and women do each and every day to protect our protectees.

"It's not easy, and I will tell you that they performed admirably."

This is the third shooting or attempted shooting that has taken place around Donald Trump in just the last few years.