White House Correspondents Association Reschedules July Dinner
The White House Correspondents Association will hold a rescheduled dinner on July 24 in Washington, D.C., three months after its annual gala was abruptly halted by a shooting incident. The announcement was made Tuesday by association president Weijia Jiang, who stated the event would proceed with significantly enhanced safety measures.
The original dinner on April 25 at the Washington Hilton was interrupted when a gunman, identified by authorities as 31-year-old Cole Tomas Allen of Torrance, California, stormed a security checkpoint. Allen is accused of firing a shotgun at a Secret Service officer, who was struck once in a bullet-resistant vest. The officer returned fire, injuring Allen, who was then apprehended. No other guests were struck by gunfire.
President Donald Trump, First Lady Melania Trump, Vice President J.D. Vance, and members of the Cabinet were swiftly evacuated from the ballroom by the Secret Service. Journalists and other attendees took cover under tables during the chaos. The event, one of Washington's highest-profile annual gatherings, was subsequently canceled for the evening.
Allen has pleaded not guilty to federal charges including attempting to assassinate...