WHCA President Weijia Jiang Applauds Secret Service After ‘Harrowing’ Attempted Shooting

 (AP Photo/Tom Brenner)

White House Correspondents Association’ President Weijia Jiang on Sunday thanked Secret Service and law enforcement officers for thwarting the attempted shooting spree the night before at the group’s annual dinner in Washington, D.C.

Jiang was sitting right next to President Donald Trump and members of his administration on stage when suspected shooter Cole Tomas Allen fired multiple shots in the venue’s lobby, forcing Secret Service to rush those on stage to safety.

The WHCA president — who is also a reporter for CBS News — said she was “still processing what happened” in an X post, but that she wanted to thank the Secret Service and officers who kept her and others safe. “We are so grateful,” she wrote.

Jiang added in her accompanying statement they protected “thousands of guests,” before wishing a speedy recovery to one officer who was shot by the suspect.

“Last night’s shooting at the Washington Hilton was a harrowing moment for everyone” in attendance,” she said.

Jiang then complimented the reporters in the room for swiftly going from party mode to professional mode amid the chaos.

“Our dinner exists to celebrate the First Amendment and the hard daily work of the journalists who defend it,” Jiang wrote. “Last night, those journalists showed exactly the kind of calm and courage that work demands, jumping into reporting immediately after the incident unfolded. We are so proud of everyone in that room.”

That comment certainly applied to Jiang, considering she asked Trump the first question during his press conference following the event’s cancelation.

Jiang added the WHCA board will be meeting “to assess what happened and determine how to proceed.” She said she will provide any updates later on.

At his press conference on Saturday evening at the White House, Trump said he “fought like hell” to keep the event going, but that law enforcement protocols made it impossible. He said he hoped it would be rescheduled for late May.

The suspected shooter wrote in a manifesto he was shocked at how bad the security was at the event. “This level of incompetence is insane,” Allen wrote.

You can read more of the manifesto Allen sent to his family members just minutes before the attack over at the New York Post by clicking here.

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