WASHINGTON, April 27, 2026 Shooting at White House Correspondents' Dinner A 31-year-old California man armed with multiple firearms breached security at the White House Correspondents' Dinner in Washington on Saturday evening before being stopped by law enforcement, with authorities now pursuing attempted murder charges.
Security Failures Under Scrutiny
The incident has sparked sharp criticism of security protocols at the high-profile event, which was attended by political figures and journalists. Kari Lake, a prominent supporter of former President Donald Trump, blasted the arrangements on social media platform X, writing: *"Ich kann kaum glauben, wie lax die Sicherheitsvorkehrungen heute Abend beim White House Correspondents' Dinner waren."* ("I can hardly believe how lax the security measures were tonight at the White House Correspondents' Dinner.")
Lake, a MAGA activist, later added that there had been *"praktisch keine Sicherheit"* ("virtually no security"). Her comments were corroborated by multiple sources, raising questions about the Secret Service's preparedness for the event.
The attacker, whose identity has not been officially released, reportedly stormed past a security checkpoint while heavily armed. Authorities confirmed he legally purchased the weapons used in the incident—a pistol in 2023 and a shotgun in 2025—in California.