A suspected gunman has been arrested after firing shots at a hotel which was hosting a dinner for Donald Trump in Washington DC.

Journalists took cover and Secret Service agents rushed towards the US president at the event organised by the White House Correspondents' Association (WHCA).

Trump latest: Suspect in custody after shots fired at dinner

Here's a timeline of the shooting and how it unfolded:

Donald Trump was scheduled to give a keynote address at the 2026 White House correspondents' dinner at the Washington Hilton.

It is the first time he has attended this annual event, renowned for its comedy roast of the administration.

Guests dive under tables

While he was sitting on a stage in the hotel's ballroom, ahead of his speech, gunshots were heard at around 8.35pm (1.35am UK time).

Guests dropped to the floor and took cover under tables while armed officers rushed towards the US president, escorting him, his wife Melania Trump and his cabinet from the room.

There were a few chants of "USA, USA" and others shushed the cheers.

Our correspondent Mark Stone was in the room and described hearing "the bangs very clearly from my table".

Gunman 'charged checkpoint'

A gunman ‌had run through a checkpoint in the lobby of the hotel, armed with a shotgun, a handgun and multiple knives, police said.

A shotgun was fired at ‌a Secret Service agent before the alleged offender was tackled to the ground and arrested.

Reporters were later told the officer was saved ​by his bulletproof vest.

People were 'screaming and running'

In the immediate aftermath there was considerable confusion from guests inside the hotel.

Several people were seen "screaming and running out" from the hotel, according to the WHCA, and Secret Service agents were seen with guns drawn.

At one point, Republican representative Jamie Raskin said he was knocked to the ground by a Secret Service agent for his safety when shots rang out.

Guests were evacuated from the hotel and taken down the street while police secured the entire site around the Washington Hilton.

Trump: 'Shooter apprehended'

Around 9.17pm (2.17am UK time), Donald Trump made his first comments on Truth Social, confirming the "shooter has been apprehended" and praising the Secret Service and law enforcement, saying they "acted quickly and bravely".

"I have recommended that we 'Let the show go on'," he added, but in a subsequent post said the event would be rescheduled "within 30 ​days".

The US president also posted CCTV footage showing a blurry image of the suspect running through the lobby and agents running after him and drawing firearms.

Read more from Sky News:
Cole Thomas Allen: What we know
How did suspect get so close

Trump: Suspect 'lone wolf whack job'

At about 10.30pm (3.20am UK time), the US president addressed reporters at a news conference at the White House, telling them he heard "a pretty loud noise" and then describing what he saw.

"He charged from 50 yards away... He was moving, he was really moving. And the reaction time was great.

He called the attacker a "lone wolf whack job" and said the officer who was shot was saved by the bulletproof vest he was wearing. The Secret Service agent was later released from hospital.

Suspect charged

The suspect was charged around 11.13pm (4.13am UK time) with using a firearm during a crime of violence and assault on a federal officer with ‌a dangerous weapon.

Jeanine Pirro, the US attorney for the District of Columbia, said he would appear in court on Monday but added "there will be many more charges".

Jeffrey Carroll, interim chief of police for the Metropolitan Police Department, also said that initial information suggested he was staying at the hotel as a guest.

According to CBS News, Allen told authorities he was targeting Trump administration officials.

The FBI and Secret Service were preparing to search a home believed to be associated with Allen in Torrance, a city of around 140,000 residents in California's South Bay.

(c) Sky News 2026: How shooting unfolded at the White House correspondents' dinner