The White House Correspondents' Dinner, held at the Washington Hilton, faced a tragic disruption when gunfire erupted outside, prompting an early end to the event. Attendees managed to enjoy the initial course of their meal, a spring pea and burrata salad, but the main courses of prime chateaubriand steak and Maine lobster went unserved. In a commendable effort, the Hilton hotel freeze-dried approximately 2,600 dinners to extend their shelf life before donating them to shelters for abused women and children located in Clifton, Virginia, and Calvert County, Maryland. CBS News correspondent Weijia Jiang, who is also the president of the White House Correspondents' Association, expressed gratitude to the staff who worked through the night under difficult circumstances. The incident also saw attendees engaging in unusual behavior; one woman was filmed taking wine bottles from tables as chaos ensued. The assailant, identified as Cole Allen, aged 31, has been linked to the shooting.