Erika Kirk Evacuated from White House Correspondents' Dinner Following Shooting Incident

A harrowing scene unfolded at Washington's White House Correspondents' Dinner on Saturday, April 25, when gunfire erupted outside the ballroom, prompting emergency evacuations of attendees.

Among those rushed from the event was 37-year-old Erika Kirk, CEO of Turning Point USA and widow of Charlie Kirk, who was fatally shot during a speaking engagement last September. Video footage captured Kirk being escorted from the Washington Hilton, visibly distressed and repeating through tears, "I just want to go home."

The emotional moment quickly spread across social media as security personnel moved guests to safety following the shooting outside the White House ballroom.

President Donald Trump was also removed from the premises by Secret Service, who escorted him from the hotel to a secure location before returning him to the White House. The 79-year-old President initially indicated he wanted the dinner to continue before ultimately deciding to cancel the event.

In a subsequent post on his Truth Social account, Trump announced that the 2026 White House Correspondents' Dinner has been officially canceled. He indicated plans to reschedule the gathering within the coming weeks.