U.S. President Donald Trump said the Hilton hotel was “not a particularly safe” facility after he was escorted out of a Washington ballroom where a shooting occurred late Saturday night. This statement. Although simple, it is a vivid reminder of a similar moment that occurred in the same place 45 years ago.
Long before Trump’s hasty exit, the Washington Hilton was etched in presidential history. In 1981, then-President Ronald Reagan was shot outside the same hotel.
That attack resulted in changes to the structure and the addition of a special presidential suite near the entrance, designed for quick access in the event of an emergency. after saturday night shootingTrump was also taken there briefly, according to the Associated Press.
What happened in 1981
On March 30, 1981, John Hinckley Jr. attempted to assassinate Reagan as he left a hotel.
According to FBI files, Hinckley fired six shots with a .22-caliber revolver. A bullet ricocheted off the limo and struck Reagan in the chest. The injury went unnoticed at first, until Reagan began coughing up blood.
The hotel later built a secure garage to house the presidential limousine, which was connected to a dedicated elevator and staircase that led directly to the presidential suite.
Then-President Ronald Reagan stayed in the hospital for 12 days before returning to the United States. White House. His press secretary James Brady, Special Agent Timothy McCarthy and Officer Thomas Delahanty were also injured.
Fast forward 45 years and the scene is the same again, but the night begins very differently.
On what was supposed to be a glitzy night, Trump addressed reporters at the White House Correspondents’ Association’s annual dinner, his first appearance as president.
Then comes the chaos.
Panic in the ballroom
Witnesses recalled to The Associated Press that attendees were eating spring peas and burrata salad when armed security burst into the ballroom and yelled at people to get down.
A huge explosion rang out, piercing the entire event, and the big band music stopped. For a few seconds, the room was silent. Agents gathered around the table as the plates crashed to the floor.
Cries of “Get down!” and “Get down!” echoed throughout the ballroom.
Trump, who was sitting on the stage, was quickly bundled out by security personnel.
Washington Hotel Security
The hotel has hosted high-profile events for decades, and during such events it is typically open to regular guests and security is focused on the ballroom rather than the entire hotel.
Surveillance video released by Trump later showed a man running through a metal detector and past law enforcement officers, prompting officers to turn on him with their guns drawn.
The suspect was identified as Cole Tomas Allen, 31, of Torrance, California. He was armed with a shotgun, a handgun and multiple knives. Authorities believe he may have been staying at the hotel, which would explain how he gained access during the event. However, details of his stay were not immediately released.
The hotel will be closed to the public starting at 2 p.m. until dinner at 8 p.m., according to the Associated Press.
The approximately 2,300 guests inside the ballroom underwent multiple layers of screening – from ticket verification to screening through magnetometers operated by the Secret Service and Transportation Security Administration.
Officials described it as a “multi-layered protection” system and believe it worked as designed.
