Distraught Erika Kirk rushed to safety after gunman opens fire on White House Correspondents' Dinner

Published: 03:02, 26 April 2026 | Updated: 03:26, 26 April 2026 Erika Kirk is 'okay but very upset' after being rushed to safety when a gunman opened fire at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner. The widow of Charlie Kirk was among the first to be evacuated from the Washington Hilton on Saturday night not long after President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump were bundled out.  The head of Turning Point USA was said to be physically well but distraught according to Turning Point Action sponsor Derek Myers.  In a post shared to X, Myers wrote: 'Erika is okay but very upset. She was crying.' It comes just seven months after her husband’s violent death at the hands of an assassin’s bullet at Utah Valley University. The events bear haunting echoes of the fateful day, although no fatalities have been reported out of DC so far. President Trump has since confirmed a suspect was taken into custody in a post on Truth Social. He was attending the event for the first time since 2011 and was set to be honored and give a speech. Terror erupted in the Washington Hilton as guests reported hearing around six shots which went off in the lobby. Erika Kirk was immediately evacuated from the White House Correspondents’ Dinner after shots rang out inside the Washington Hilton Donald Trump is escorted out as a shooter opens fire during the annual White House Correspondents' Association dinner in Washington President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump were rushed off stage, while many guests remained in the ballroom Thousands of guest were left scrambling for cover after Secret Service agents stormed the ballroom.  One agent was shot but was wearing a protective vest. They were rushed to the hospital and remain in unknown condition.  As guests ducked under tables by the hundreds, Secret Service agents and other authorities swarmed the banquet hall, with one person heard shouting, 'Out of the way, sir.' Cabinet members were lifted in the air over a barricade and dragged to safety.  In a statement to the Daily Mail, a White House spokesperson said: 'The US Secret Service, in coordination with the Metropolitan Police Department, is investigating a shooting incident near the main magnetometer screening area at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner.' 'One individual is in custody. The condition of those involved is not yet known, and law enforcement is actively assessing the situation,' the statement added. The president took to social media to share an update immediately after he was made safe.  'Quite an evening in DC Secret Service and Law Enforcement did a fantastic job. They acted quickly and bravely,' the president wrote to Truth Social. Security officials evacuate U.S. Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and his wife, Cheryl Hines, as a shooter opens fire Law enforcement respond during an incident at the White House Correspondents' Dinner 'The shooter has been apprehended, and I have recommended that we “LET THE SHOW GO ON” but, will entirely be guided by Law Enforcement. They will make a decision shortly,' he added. 'Regardless of that decision, the evening will be much different than planned, and we’ll just, plain, have to do it again.' However, the presidential couple has since departed the event with Trump expected to five a press briefing at the White House later on Saturday night. The comments below have not been moderated. The views expressed in the contents above are those of our users and do not necessarily reflect the views of MailOnline. By posting your comment you agree to our house rules. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual We will automatically post your comment and a link to the news story to your Facebook timeline at the same time it is posted on MailOnline. To do this we will link your MailOnline account with your Facebook account. We’ll ask you to confirm this for your first post to Facebook. You can choose on each post whether you would like it to be posted to Facebook. Your details from Facebook will be used to provide you with tailored content, marketing and ads in line with our Privacy Policy.