NPR News: 04-27-2026 8AM EDT

President Trump and top officials were evacuated from the White House Correspondents Association dinner Saturday night after gunfire erupted nearby at the Washington Hilton. The incident, along with Supreme Court arguments on geofencing warrants, escalating U.S.-Iran tensions, and deadly weather events across the U.S. South, dominated this NPR News Now update.

Shooting at White House Correspondents Dinner

Gunfire broke out outside the ballroom during the annual dinner, prompting tense evacuations of President Trump, Vice President, Cabinet members, and over 2,000 guests who took cover. The shots actually occurred one floor above, fired by 31-year-old Cole Allen from Torrance, California, who ran through a security checkpoint aiming for the stairs to the ballroom before being subdued. The hotel's unique security features, added after President Reagan's 1981 shooting outside the same venue, helped contain the threat.

Trump praised law enforcement's response. Authorities believe Allen acted alone, with no foreign involvement. He faces arraignment today in federal court in Washington, D.C., on initial charges of assault on a federal officer with a dangerous weapon and using a firearm in a crime of violence, with more charges expected. Investigators are tracing his movements in the days and hours leading up to the event to build a profile and case.