'Violence has no place in democracy': German Chancellor condemns WH Correspondents' Dinner shooting incident

Berlin [Germany], April 26 : German Chancellor Friedrich Merz on Sunday condemned the "assassination attempt" after a shooting incident at the White House Correspondents' Dinner.

In a post on X, he expressed relief that those present at the dinner were safe, including US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump.

He said, "Violence has no place in a democracy. We decide by majorities, not with weapons. I condemn the assassination attempt in Washington and am glad that President Trump, First Lady Melania Trump, and all those present are safe."

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Gewalt hat keinen Platz in einer Demokratie. Wir entscheiden mit Mehrheiten, nicht mit der Waffe.

Ich verurteile den Anschlagsversuch in Washington und bin froh, dass Präsident Trump, First Lady Melania Trump und alle Anwesenden in Sicherheit sind.

— Bundeskanzler Friedrich Merz (@bundeskanzler) April 26, 2026

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Global support and messages condemning the shooting incident in Washington DC poured in from world leaders on Sunday.

According to officials, the incident triggered a swift response by the US Secret Service, with one suspect later taken into custody.

Authorities confirmed that the President and all primary attendees were unharmed, though a security officer was injured during the response.

The shooting occurred during the annual White House Correspondents' Dinner at the Washington Hilton, causing panic among guests and prompting an immediate evacuation of Trump, the Vice President, and senior officials.

The event, traditionally a gathering of media and political figures, was abruptly disrupted as security forces secured the area.

The incident unfolded when a 31-year-old man allegedly stormed a security checkpoint at the entrance of the event, with suspected gunshots heard, prompting a swift response from law enforcement and Secret Service members ushering Trump out of the venue to safety.

According to CNN, the 31-year-old man, identified as Cole Tomas Allen, emerged as the prime suspect behind the chaos that forced Trump to be swiftly evacuated, along with Vance and other members of his cabinet.

Disclaimer: This post has been auto-published from an agency feed without any modifications to the text and has not been reviewed by an editor

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