Donald Trump has spoken in the aftermath of a shooting at a White House gala event where the President, vice president and a gathering of famous and powerful, confirming a Secret Service security agent had survived being shot in the frightening incident.
Authorities believe the shooter was a lone wolf and was armed with multiple weapons, including a long gun, when he charged a security checkpoint at the Washington Hilton, heading for the ballroom where Mr Trump and thousands of media representatives were sitting down to dinner.
Several shots were fired.
“The man has been captured, they are going to his apartment, he lives in California, he’s a sick person,” Mr Trump said at a hastily convened press conference attended by many of the same well-dressed journalists who had been in the ballroom for the White House correspondents’ dinner when the shots rang out.
“He looked pretty evil when they had him down; he was fighting hard.”
Mr Trump was at the White House annual correspondents’ dinner, where among the 2600 guests were the nation’s top politicians and other powerful and famous invitees.
The injured Secret Service officer - who was shot at close range - has been taken to a local hospital.
“(He was) saved by the fact that he was wearing obviously a very good bulletproof vest,” Mr Trump said.
“He was shot from very close distance with a very powerful gun, and the vest did the job.
“I just spoke to the officer, and he’s doing great. He’s in great shape. He has very high spirits, and we told him we love him and respect him. And he’s a very proud guy. He’s very proud of what he does, Secret Service agent, and we looked at all of the conditions that took place tonight.”
Authorities have confirmed the man is already facing multiple charges.
Mr Trump said the security response to the incident was amazing.
“He was really moving, and the reaction time was great.
“Literally, by the time he was there, they were shooting, and I thought they were very impressive.
“And if I didn’t, I’d let you know. You know I would not stand for that.
“And we’re going to reschedule.
“We’re not going to let anybody take over our society.
“We’re not going to cancel things out, because we can’t do that.
“I fought like hell to stay, but they said it was protocol. They didn’t know a lot, and there was a lot of action going on; it’s probably a lone shooter. We’ll find out very quickly. They have it very well under control. So I want to thank everybody very much.”
Mr Trump said assassination attempts generally happen to the “most impactful” people.
“I’ve studied assassinations, and I must tell you the most impactful people, the people that do the most.
“You take a look at the people Abraham Lincoln, you go through, gone through this where they got them, but
“The people that do the most, the people that make the biggest impact, they’re the ones that they go after.
“They don’t go after the ones that don’t do much, because they like it that way.
“And I hate to say I’m honoured by that, but we’ve taken this country, and we were a laughing stock for years, and now we’re the hottest country anywhere in the world.
“We’ve changed this country, and a lot of people are not happy about that. So I think that’s the answer.”
Mr Trump praised his wife, First Lady Melanie Trump. It was the first time she had been present at a shooting event.
“I’m concerned about everything, but I can’t be so concerned that you can’t function,” he said.
“It’s a dangerous profession, you know. Nobody told me this was such a dangerous profession.
“If Mark I would have told me, maybe I wouldn’t have run. Maybe I would have said I’ll take a pass. No, it’s a dangerous profession, but I don’t view it that way. Look, I’m here to do a job as part of the job, it is a dangerous I can’t imagine that there’s any profession that’s more dangerous, but I love the country, and I’m very proud. I’m very proud of the job we’ve done.”
The President also said the shooting was another reason why the controversial White House extension works he has authorised need to occur.
“This is why we have to have all of the attributes of what we’re planning at the White House,” Mr Trump spruiked.
“It’s actually a larger room, and it’s much more secure. It’s got drone proof. It’s bulletproof glass. We need the ballroom.
“That’s why Secret Service, that’s why the military are demanding it. They’ve wanted the ballroom for 150 years for the renovation.”
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