A tearful Erika Kirk was seen being escorted out of the White House Correspondents’ Dinner after gunfire triggered panic and evacuation at the venue. In a video, shared by CNN reporter and circulated widely on social media she is heard saying, “I just want to go home,” as security guided her away. The moment drew attention and sympathy given that her husband, Charlie Kirk, was shot dead in September last year.Kirk, a conservative political activist and social media influencer, was shot dead on September 10, 2025, at Utah Valley University during a campus event organised by his group. He was killed in what investigators described as a targeted shooting, with the accused, 22-year-old Tyler Robinson, facing aggravated murder charges and a possible death sentence.Meanwhile, the Saturday dinner was disrupted after a man opened fire near the main security screening area of the White House Correspondents’ Dinner at the Washington Hilton, triggering panic inside the packed venue. Hundreds of guests ducked under tables as security personnel rushed in. The United States Secret Service took the suspect into custody, while an officer who was hit was protected by a bullet-resistant vest and is expected to be OK.The dinner drew a high-profile mix of political leaders, journalists and celebrities, with around 2,600 attendees inside the White House Correspondents’ Dinner at the Washington Hilton. Those present included Donald Trump, First Lady Melania Trump, vice president JD Vance, defence secretary Pete Hegseth and secretary of state Marco Rubio, along with several cabinet members and senior officials.White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, who is currently on maternity leave, also attended the White House Correspondents’ Dinner and gave a red carpet interview to Fox News ahead of it. Speaking about the speech she had prepared for Donald Trump, she said he was “ready to rumble” and that the address would be “funny, entertaining” and “classic Donald J Trump,” adding that “there will be some shots fired tonight in the room.” The remark drew attention online after the shooting scare at the venue.
