Former Houston reporter Shannon Ryan was settling into her first White House Correspondents’ Dinner when the mood inside the packed ballroom shifted. Ryan, a former ABC13 Houston reporter who now works for Spectrum News in Washington, was among roughly 2,600 guests at the Washington Hilton on April 25.
Shannon Ryan with Spectrum News intern Ben Bascuk, as well as colleagues and friends Charlotte Scott and Reena Diamonte, both of whom have reported in Texas.
Shannon Ryan
Just moments before the shooting, the room felt celebratory.
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“The atmosphere was convivial. It was my first WHCD and I was beaming,” Ryan told Chron. “I could not wait to see how the night would go.”
Shannon Ryan with her date, Joseph Cox, at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner.
Shannon Ryan
Gunfire erupted shortly after, sending people scrambling for cover and cutting the high-profile event short.
From celebration to chaos
The annual White House Correspondents’ Dinner had just begun. Ryan had made her way into the ballroom with friends from a pre-party, greeted colleagues and sat down as the United States Marine Band played the national anthem and opening remarks got underway.
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“We were working our way through our salads when shots rang out,” she said.
A screenshot of a video Ryan took as she emerged from under her table during the chaos.
Shannon Ryan
According to authorities, 31-year-old Cole Tomas Allen of Torrance, Calif., allegedly forced his way through a security checkpoint armed with a shotgun, handgun and knives. Secret Service agents rushed President Donald Trump, First Lady Melania Trump and Vice President JD Vance out of the ballroom as law enforcement moved to secure the scene.
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Panic inside the ballroom
Ryan said the sound of gunfire was unmistakable from her table near the back of the room, close to the ballroom doors.
“Despite having been on a few scenes where shots were fired as a journalist, it took me a moment to comprehend what was happening,” she said. “Because the band had recently finished a performance, I initially hoped the bangs were instrument-related.”
That confusion quickly gave way to panic.
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Guests duck for cover inside the ballroom after shots rang out.
Ben Bascuk
“Terror ripped through the large room like a wave. People were running in and out of the doors screaming,” she said. “Law enforcement, some in tuxedos, rushed to the politicians they were assigned to protect. People were jumping over chairs. Plates and glasses were broken. My boss yelled that there was a shooter and to get under the table, which I did.”
Screenshot of a clip showing U.S. Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard at the dinner, recorded by Ben Bascuk.
Ben Bascuk
Ryan and her colleagues crouched beneath their table as the chaos unfolded around them.
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“I covered my head during the worst of it,” she said. “The shooting stopped relatively quickly. I texted my family that we thought there was a shooter and that I loved them.”
She sent that message at 8:36 p.m., just minutes after the dinner began.
A group chat between Ryan and her parents, Donna and John Ryan, and her brother, Logan, as the situation unfolded.
Shannon Ryan
“Almost immediately, someone started chanting ‘USA! USA! USA!’ — a few people joined in,” she said, later learning it was former White House aide Dan Scavino.
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One Secret Service agent was struck by a bullet but was protected by a bulletproof vest and is expected to recover. No other physical injuries were reported.
Journalists shift into reporting mode
As the immediate danger passed, the room began to shift again, this time into work mode.
“This was a room full of thousands of journalists. We checked in on each other and got to work,” Ryan said. “I coordinated with my desk in New York and used my phone to transfer elements and interview lawmakers I am assigned to cover.”
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A friend of Shannon Ryan’s brother, Logan Ryan, spotted her reporting on CNN following the shooting.
Shannon Ryan
For a time, organizers considered continuing the dinner.
“Table cloths were soaked in red wine, shards of broken glass and dishware were everywhere,” Ryan said. “The staff started attempting to clean up to prepare to serve the next course of steak and lobster — it was pretty dystopian.”
Ultimately, White House Correspondents’ Association President Weijia Jiang announced the event would be postponed due to security concerns, with plans to reschedule within 30 days. Guests were told a White House briefing would follow within 30 minutes.
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Leaving the scene
Ryan, who joined Spectrum News in December after leaving ABC13 in November, said she knew she likely wouldn’t make it to the briefing because she still relies on day passes for White House access.
Outside, the chaos continued in a different form.
Shannon Ryan arrives at the event, shielding herself from rain as security perimeter measures were already in place.
Shannon Ryan
“The White House is about a 1.5 miles from the venue. I watched as women in five-inch heels mounted electric bikes and scooters in an effort to make it to the briefing,” she said.
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Still unsure of the full situation, Ryan left the ballroom with a former roommate and a manager, staying near the edge of the crowd as they moved through a police perimeter that stretched for blocks.
Shannon Ryan appears on NY1 the Monday morning after the shooting.
Shannon Ryan
“I bumped into several friends on the way out—some were hard at work while others were looting the table wine,” she said.
The group eventually regrouped at a nearby restaurant before heading home.
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“I went to bed, preparing for a morning full of live shots,” Ryan said.