Gunman armed with shotgun, knives in White House shooting scare: Police

A potentially catastrophic attack was narrowly averted in Washington on Saturday night when a lone, heavily armed gunman attempted to breach a high-security perimeter at the Washington Hilton, where the annual White House Correspondents’ Association dinner was underway.

According to authorities, the suspect — armed with a shotgun, a handgun, and multiple knives — charged a Secret Service checkpoint set up in the hotel lobby shortly after 8:30 pm, triggering a rapid and coordinated response from law enforcement.

Washington’s interim police chief, Jeff Carroll, said the assailant ran directly toward the checkpoint despite multiple layers of security. “He was armed with a shotgun, a handgun, and multiple knives as he ran through that checkpoint,” Carroll told reporters, underscoring the gravity of the threat.

Within moments, agents of the United States Secret Service intercepted the suspect. A brief exchange of gunfire followed, during which a Secret Service officer was struck. The bullet, however, was stopped by the officer’s protective vest — likely saving his life. He was taken to a nearby hospital and is reported to be in stable condition and “in good spirits”.

Despite the intensity of the encounter, the suspect himself was not shot. Officers swiftly tackled him to the ground and placed him in handcuffs before transporting him to a hospital for evaluation.

Officials stressed that the attacker never came close to the main ballroom, where hundreds of journalists, political leaders, and dignitaries had gathered. Jeanine Pirro, the US attorney, credited the venue’s layered security system for preventing what could have been a mass-casualty event. “That checkpoint worked,” she said, noting that the suspect appeared intent on causing “as much harm and damage as he could.”

The accused now faces federal charges, including use of a firearm during a violent crime and assault on a federal officer with a dangerous weapon. Authorities indicated that additional charges are likely as the investigation deepens.

Washington mayor Muriel Bowser confirmed that investigators believe the suspect acted alone. “We have no reason to believe at this time that anyone else was involved,” she said, adding that there is no ongoing threat to the public.

Investigators are now piecing together how the suspect managed to bring multiple weapons into the hotel. Carroll said officers have secured a room believed to be linked to the individual and are reviewing surveillance footage to trace his movements. “We’ll go through video across the hotel to figure out how the gun got in,” he said.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation has joined the probe through its Joint Terrorism Task Force, with assistant director Darren Cox vowing a thorough inquiry. “There will be no stone unturned,” he said, while also praising the “quick response and heroic actions” of officers on the scene.

Secret Service director Sean Kern said the incident underscored the effectiveness of multi-layered security protocols designed to protect high-profile events. “It shows that our multi-layered protection works,” he noted.

As forensic teams analyse evidence and investigators work to establish motive, authorities say key questions — whether the president was specifically targeted and what drove the attack — remain unanswered.

For now, what endures is a stark reminder of the ever-present risks surrounding high-security gatherings — and the decisive response that, on this night, prevented tragedy from unfolding.

With IANS inputs