Donald Trump speaks after shots fired during White House correspondents dinner at the Washington Hilton

Donald Trump spoke after the shooting at a gala event at the White House, where the president, vice president and famous and powerful people gathered, and confirmed that a Secret Service security agent escaped being shot in the frightening incident.

Authorities believe the shooter was a lone wolf and was armed with multiple weapons, including a long gun, when he stormed a security checkpoint at the Washington Hilton toward the ballroom where Mr. Trump and thousands of media representatives were sitting for dinner. Several shots were fired.

“The guy’s been captured, they’re going to his apartment, he lives in California, he’s a sick person,” Mr. Trump said at a hastily called news conference attended by many of the same well-dressed journalists who were in the ballroom for the White House correspondents’ dinner when the shots rang out.

“He looked pretty bad when they brought him down, he was struggling a lot.”

Mr. Trump was at the White House annual correspondents’ dinner, where 2,600 guests included the nation’s top politicians and other powerful and famous guests.

The injured Secret Service officer, who was shot at close range, was taken to a local hospital.

“(He) was saved by the fact that he was wearing a very good bulletproof vest,” Mr. Trump said.

“He was shot at very close range with a very powerful weapon and the vest did its job.

“I just talked to the officer and he’s doing great. He’s doing very well. He’s in very good spirits and we told him we love him and we respect him. And he’s a very proud man. He’s very proud of what he does, he’s a Secret Service agent and we looked into all the circumstances that occurred tonight.”

Authorities confirmed the man is currently facing multiple charges.

Mr. Trump said the security response to the incident was surprising.

“He was really moving and his reaction time was great.

“They were actually filming while he was there, I thought they were very impressive.

“And if I hadn’t I would have let you know. You know I can’t stand that.”

“And we will reschedule.

“We will not allow anyone to take over our society.

“We’re not going to cancel everything because we can’t do that.

“I fought like hell to stay, but it was protocol for them. They didn’t know much and there was a lot of action going on, probably a lone gunner. We’ll find out very quickly. They had the situation under control very well. So I want to say a big thank you to everyone.”

Mr Trump said assassination attempts usually happened to the “most influential” people.

“I have studied the assassinations and I must tell you the most effective people who carried out the most assassinations.

“You look at Abraham Lincoln’s people, you go through them, you go through them where they get them, but

“The people who do the most, who make the biggest impact are the people they will follow.

“They don’t go after people who don’t do much because they like it.

“And I hate to say I’m honored, but we took over this country and we were ridiculed for years and now we’re the hottest country anywhere in the world.

“We changed this country and a lot of people are not happy about it. I think that’s the answer.”

Mr. Trump praised his wife, First Lady Melanie Trump. It was his first time participating in a shooting event.

“I worry about everything, but I can’t worry so much that I can’t work,” she said.

“It’s a dangerous profession, you know. Nobody told me it was such a dangerous profession.”

“If Mark had told me, maybe I wouldn’t have run. Maybe I would have said I would pass. No, it’s a dangerous profession, but I don’t look at it that way. Look, I’m here to do a job as part of the job, it’s dangerous. I can’t think of a more dangerous profession than this, but I love the country and I’m very proud. I’m very proud of what we do.”

The president also said the shooting was another reason why the controversial White House expansion he authorized was necessary.

“So we need to have all the hallmarks of what we have planned in the White House,” Mr. Trump said.

“It’s actually a bigger room and much safer. It’s drone-proof. It has bulletproof glass. We need a ballroom.

“That’s why the Secret Service is demanding it, and that’s why the military is demanding it. They’ve been asking for the ballroom to be renovated for 150 years.”