Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday reacted to the security scare involving US President Donald Trump, saying he was “relieved” to learn that the American leader and other top officials were safe after
an armed suspect disrupted a high-profile dinner in Washington, DC.
“Relieved to learn that President Trump, the First Lady and Vice President are safe and unharmed following the recent security incident at a Washington DC hotel,” PM Modi wrote in a post on X.
“I extend my best wishes for their continued safety and well-being. Violence has no place in a democracy and must be unequivocally condemned,” he added.
SECURITY SCARE AT HIGH-PROFILE DINNER
The Prime Minister’s remarks came after a dramatic sequence of events at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner, where a man armed with guns and knives stormed the lobby outside the ballroom hosting the event attended by Trump and several senior US officials.
According to the Associated Press, the suspect rushed toward the venue before being intercepted by Secret Service agents.
Chaos erupted as guests inside the ballroom ducked under tables, with some reporting hearing between five and eight gunshots.
The dinner, which had brought together journalists, political leaders and public figures, quickly turned into a scene of panic.
TRUMP EVACUATED, SUSPECT IN CUSTODY
Trump was swiftly evacuated by security personnel and was confirmed to be uninjured.
The suspect, identified as Cole Tomas Allen, 31, of Torrance, California, was taken into custody.
Authorities indicated that he is believed to be a “lone wolf,” with no immediate evidence suggesting the involvement of others.
A law enforcement officer was struck in a bullet-resistant vest during the incident but is expected to recover, officials said.
Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser stated that there was “no reason” to believe additional suspects were involved and added, “There does not appear to be any sort of danger to the public at this time.”
TOP LEADERS RUSHED TO SAFETY
All officials under Secret Service protection were evacuated from the venue.
Those in attendance included Vice President JD Vance, Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, among others.
The event was eventually scrapped for the night after an initial attempt to resume proceedings failed amid lingering security concerns.
TRUMP CALLS SUSPECT A ‘SICK PERSON’
Speaking later at the White House, Trump described the attacker as a “sick person” and said, “When you’re impactful, they go after you. When you’re not impactful, they leave you alone.” He added that authorities “seem to think he was a lone wolf.”
The President also highlighted the need for heightened security measures, stating, “Today we need levels of security that probably nobody has ever seen before,” while asserting, “We’re not going to let anybody take over our society.”
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