President Trump, first lady Melania and a slew of top lawmakers and White House officials had to be dramatically evacuated from the White House Correspondents Dinner Saturday night after a gunman opened fire outside the ballroom.
The gunman has been detained — and possibly shot and killed, according to law enforcement sources.
He was intercepted at the metal detectors outside the Washington Hilton ballroom, where Trump and countless VIPS were set to toast the Washington press corps.
The president is safe and organizers of the star-studded “nerd prom” said the program will continue as planned.
Harrowing footage from the annual glitz gala showed at least five shots ringing out from the lobby, as more than 2,000 guests — including journalists and Trump officials — scrambled under tables for cover.
The shooting erupted less than 30 minutes after Trump and Melania made their grand entrance.
Trump, Melania, Vice President JD Vance, and Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt were among those at the dais who were rushed out of the ballroom by Secret Service agents before the rest of the president’s cabinet were evacuated.
CNN anchor Wolf Blitzer, inside the Washington Hilton when the gunfire rang out, said he heard about six shots in a tight corridor just outside the ballroom moments after dinner service had begun.
“All of a sudden, I start hearing gunshots in the hall right near me,” he told CNN. “And the next thing I knew, a police officer threw me to the ground and was on top of me.”
Blitzer said he had just stepped out and was heading up the stairs toward the lobby when the shooting broke out.
“It looked to me like when he was shooting, he was inside the medal detectors,” he added.
“It looked to me that the gunman who was firing these rounds was inside the security dinner. He somehow managed to get inside the metal detectors.”
Authorities quickly moved to secure the scene, physically restraining people in the vicinity and rushing them into nearby rooms for cover.
Sources told The Post the shooter was shot and killed at the metal detectors outside the ballroom.
The Secret Service has since locked down the hotel.
Trump expected to return as scheduled and the presidential seal remained on the podium where he was originally set to speak.
The event, hosted by the White House Correspondents Association, is expected to continue.
