US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump were evacuated from the White House Correspondents' Dinner on Saturday night, after gunshots were reported on the premises.

The US Secret Service confirmed that no one was injured in the "shooting incident", and one person has been taken into custody. The suspect was later identified as Cole Tomas Allen, 31.

In an address from the White House, Trump said it was "always shocking when this happens, that never changes".

Immediately after the incident, the president wrote on Truth Social: "The shooter has been apprehended, and I have recommended that we "LET THE SHOW GO ON" but, will entirely be guided by Law Enforcement."

In a subsequent post he said law enforcement had requested that he and the first lady leave the premises.

The White House Correspondents' Dinner is an American press tradition that dates back to 1921, and is historically attended by the sitting president.

This was the first time Trump had attended the event as a sitting president; he was last in attendance in 2011.

CCTV footage posted by Trump from the Washington Hilton hotel, where the annual White House Correspondents' Dinner was taking place, shows a person rushing past security officers, who then turn and chase him.

Police said that security officials and the suspect exchanged fire, without saying how many shots were fired. Citing police sources, CBS said at least five to eight shots were fired.

Inside the ballroom itself, where more than 2,000 people had gathered for the event, footage showed Trump and the first lady at their seats on a stage at the front of the room talking to other guests, when loud bangs were heard in the distance.

They appeared to notice commotion in the room and were then rushed from the stage by security, while some guests took cover.

Several Secret Service agents ran to the stage, holding weapons, as attendees were seen ducking under the circular tables.

Several BBC correspondents were in attendance at the dinner, and described scenes of widespread confusion following the sound of gunshots.

The room was briefly locked down, before an announcement that the event would be delayed and rescheduled. Attendees were ushered from the room, with many attempting to report on the unfolding events.

Trump later posted a close-up photo of a shirtless man on the floor with his hands cuffed behind his back, with Secret Service personnel standing around him.

Speaking from the White House an hour or so after the incident, the president said that a "very sick man" had been taken into custody after he charged security with a "powerful weapon".

Trump said one Secret Service agent was shot at very close range in the incident, but was saved by his bullet-proof vest.

"I just spoke to the officer, and he's doing great," he said.

"He has very high spirits, and we told him we love him and respect him, and he's a very proud guy."

The president described a room that was "totally unified", with a "tremendous amount of love and coming together". He said he had wanted the event to resume but protocol prevented this.

The president also referred to two previous attempts on his life – at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, in July 2024, and while Trump was golfing in Palm Beach, Florida, in September 2024.

He said it was "always shocking when this happens, that never changes", noting that the first lady was "rather traumatised" by the incident.

The president also thanked the media, who he says were "very responsible" in their coverage of the unfolding situation.

And he confirmed that he had directed both the image of the detained suspect and the video of a man rushing past security officers to be circulated.

The suspect has been identified as Cole Tomas Allen of Torrance, California, according to law enforcement sources quoted by US media.

The 31-year-old told law enforcement officers that he wanted to shoot Trump administration officials, two sources told CBS, the BBC's US news partner.

At a press conference, Washington DC's interim police chief Jeffery Carroll said the alleged gunman was a guest at the Washington Hilton hotel, where the event was taking place.

Carroll said he was "armed with a shotgun, a handgun, and multiple knives".

Pictures later emerged showing FBI agents and police searching an area at a California address believed to be linked to the suspect.

Jeanine Pirro, US attorney for Washington, said the suspect was facing two charges – using a firearm during a crime of violence and assault on a federal officer using a dangerous weapon. He will be formally charged on Monday in federal court.

US Attorney General Todd Blanche told CNN it "remains to be seen" whether more charges will be raised against the suspect, adding that he could "absolutely" be charged with attempted assassination depending on the evidence.

Allen describes himself as a mechanical engineer, game developer and teacher on LinkedIn.

According to his profile, he studied mechanical engineering at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech), before graduating with a master's in computer science from California State University in 2025.

Caltech confirmed to CBS in an email that Allen had graduated from the institute in 2017, but provided no further details.

Since 2020, Allen worked part-time for a tutoring firm in Torrance called C2 Education, and in December 2024 he was named "teacher of the month".

It is unclear if he is still employed by the company. The Torrance Unified School District told CBS in a statement that Allen has never been an employee of their district.

Los Angeles County's voter registration records appear to show he had no registered party preference.

According to a Federal Election Commission record, seen by BBC Verify, in October 2024 Allen donated $25 (£18) to the fundraising platform ActBlue with the money earmarked for Kamala Harris's presidential campaign.