Entertainer Oz Pearlman said on Sunday (April 26) he was still "reeling from the shock" after a shooting at a White House dinner attended by U.S. President Donald Trump.

Pearlman, who was performing for Trump at the annual White House Correspondents' Association dinner on Saturday (April 25) at the Washington Hilton hotel when the incident occurred described it as a "crazy night" and said he feared "there was about to be a bomb."

"So we army crawled. We crawled out of the room behind the curtains as far as we could until we felt like we were safe and then got up and ran and ran to the backstage area," Pearlman said, describing seeing Trump being evacuated by security.

Officials have said the suspect fired a shotgun at a Secret Service agent at a security checkpoint in the Washington Hilton hotel before being tackled and arrested. Trump, first lady Melania Trump, Vice President JD Vance and Cabinet officials were rushed out as the incident unfolded. The Secret Service agent who was shot escaped serious injury because the bullet struck his protective vest, Trump said.

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

WASHINGTON, D.C., USA (APRIL 26, 2026) (BBC - No use UK)

1. (SOUNDBITE) (English) ENTERTAINER, OZ PEARLMAN, WHO WAS PRESENT AT WHITE HOUSE PRESS DINNER WHEN SHOOTING OCCURRED, SAYING:

"And, you know, I'm just glad that everybody was safe and really give a salute to the Secret Service. Their quick action, the D.C. police, the SWAT team, the fact that this is a different story than what it could have been where no one died and that I'm safe and sound with my family today is is truly, you know, a blessing. So it was a crazy night. I'm still just reeling from the shock of what took place and the timing of it was just so crazy.

2. WHITE FLASH

3. (SOUNDBITE) (English) ENTERTAINER, OZ PEARLMAN, WHO WAS PRESENT AT WHITE HOUSE PRESS DINNER WHEN SHOOTING OCCURRED, SAYING:

"We see everyone sitting and going under their tables and understanding that there was some sort of violent encounter. Something is going on. I personally thought at that moment there was about to be a bomb because of the way that they were all going towards one table."

4. WHITE FLASH

5. (SOUNDBITE) (English) ENTERTAINER, OZ PEARLMAN, WHO WAS PRESENT AT WHITE HOUSE PRESS DINNER WHEN SHOOTING OCCURRED, SAYING:

"So we army crawled. We crawled out of the room behind the curtains as far as we could until we felt like we were safe and then got up and ran and ran to the backstage area where there were so many armed individuals that I, I would say I felt safe. I was very concerned about my wife, who was in the audience and my friends. But phones didn't work. And we also did not know if the President or First Lady had been shot at that point. When he went down. I did not know if he had been shot."