Tal Naim, spokesperson for the Israeli Embassy in Washington, was attending the White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner on Saturday night and described the panic in an interview with Channel 12 on Sunday, several hours after the incident.
She said guests were instructed to take cover under tables as additional shots were heard.
“We arrived at around 6 p.m. The event began at 7:30, and about 10 to 20 minutes after the president was introduced and the anthem was played, dinner began,” Naim said. “Suddenly, we heard a commotion.”
The suspect, identified as Cole Tomas Allen, was arrested at the scene, and a Secret Service agent was not seriously harmed after a bullet was stopped by his protective vest.
“They immediately told us we had to get under the tables,” she added. “We were under the tables for about 10 minutes, and more shots were heard, until we were told it was safe to come out.”
Naim said she was sitting about 200 meters from the stage and heard “shouting and a great deal of panic.” She added that many in the room did not initially understand whether the incident was still unfolding or whether there was a shooter inside the hall.
“Secret Service agents stormed in and removed all the senior officials and cabinet members,” Naim said. She added that officials did not yet know whether the incident had any direct connection to the war with Iran.
According to people familiar with the details, the gunman fired at a Secret Service agent, but the bullet was stopped by the agent’s protective vest. Trump later told reporters that the agent was in good condition and out of danger, while describing the suspect as “a sick person.”
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