USA Shots fired in Washington: Attacker tries to storm gala with Trump
At a gala dinner of the capital's press with US President Donald Trump at a hotel in Washington, a man stormed through a security gate and was overpowered by security forces. Shots were fired and the President was escorted to safety by his bodyguards. What exactly happened?
26.04.2026, 09:24
26.04.2026, 12:11
SDA
What we know
* Trump, his wife Melania, several cabinet members, including Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Vice President JD Vance and numerous journalists and other guests attended the event at a Washington hotel.
* While the President was sitting on stage, a sudden bang was heard - only afterwards did it become clear that it was gunfire.
* Chaos broke out in the hall and heavily armed security forces stormed the room. The President, First Lady Melania and other members of the government were led off the stage seconds after the incident and taken to safety.
* According to Trump, no members of the government were injured, but one security guard was shot. Thanks to his bulletproof vest, the man is doing well under the circumstances, Trump said. According to a Secret Service spokesperson, he has already been able to leave the hospital.
* Both the President and the security authorities later announced that the attacker had stormed through the security gate in the lobby of the hotel before he was overpowered by officers and brought to the ground. According to police, the man was not shot.
* According to the police, the attacker had a shotgun, a handgun and several knives with him.
* According to the Secret Service, the man was stopped "on first contact".
* According to the police, the perpetrator was apparently a hotel guest who was acting alone. There were no other suspects.
* The gala dinner was canceled after the incident and is to be rescheduled at a later date - within 30 days, according to Trump.
* The alleged perpetrator is due to go on trial on Monday. He is to be charged with using a firearm in an act of violence and assaulting a federal officer with a dangerous weapon. Further charges could follow.
What we don't know
* It was initially unclear how many shots were fired and by whom. Journalists on the scene reported an exchange of gunfire.
* There is no officially confirmed information on the identity of the perpetrator. Trump merely indicated that it was a "very sick man" from California.
* The specific target of the attacker also remained unclear at first. Trump indicated that the perpetrator may have been targeting him.
* The motive for the attack is also still unclear. When asked by a journalist, Trump simply replied that he did not believe the attack was connected to the Iran war.
* It is unclear whether there were any gaps in the security precautions for the event, as several attendees had previously criticized them.
