From tuxedos to trenches: How media's biggest black-tie party became a violent story

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WASHINGTON — A night devoted to celebrating the 1st Amendment and journalism turned into a breaking story of its own.The attendees at the White House Correspondents’ Assn.dinner Saturday took cover under the tables in the Washington Hilton ballroom when they heard gunshots outside, which led to the evacuation of President Trump and many of his Cabinet officials at the gala.

But instinct kicked in swiftly, and many of the journalists in the crowd of 2,600 people were using their phones to capture video.Uploading pictures to social media was a challenge as the internet coverage in the ballroom was poor, but they would eventually provide a detailed chronicle of the night.“I reached for my phone as soon as I could and started shooting video to capture as much of the moment as I could,” said Sara Cook, a CBS News producer and press association board member seated on the dais near the president, First Lady Melania Trump and Vice President JD Vance, who were hustled out while a SWAT team swarmed the stage.“I could hear Secret Service officers saying, ‘Where is it coming from?’” Cook said.

“They seemed to be quite confused onstage about exactly what was happening, where the threat was coming from and if there still was a threat.”Authorities identified the suspect as Cole Tomas Allen, a 31-year-old teacher from Torrance.He was apprehended after rushing a security checkpoint one floor above the ballroom.

Law enforcement officials said Allen was armed with a shotgun, a handgun and multiple knives.After guests were told the evening program would not proceed, many of the TV anchors and correspondents in the crowd headed to their Washington studios.Many didn’t wait.

CNN’s Wolf Blitzer, who was returning from a restroom on the floor where the incident occurred, delivered an eyewitness account from the Hilton lobby using a Webex app on a smartphone.There was at leas...