Same hotel, decades apart: Shooting at Trump dinner revives memories of 1981 Reagan attack
Today's shooting incident took place at the Washington Hilton on Connecticut Avenue - the same hotel in which Ronald Reagan was shot and wounded in 1981.
President Ronald Reagan winces and raises his left arm as he was shot by an assailant as he left a Washington hotel, Monday, March 30, 1981. (AP Photo/Ron Edmonds, File)
White House dinner shooting: A gunman on Saturday fired shots during the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner attended by US President Donald Trump at Washington Hilton. This was the same hotel where former president Ronald Reagan was shot at in 1981, according to BBC News.
On Saturday evening, Trump and other officials were evacuated after gunfire was reported near the venue. The overlap in location has brought renewed attention to one of the most well-known attacks on a former US president.
1981: Reagan shooting at same venue
On March 30, 1981, Reagan was shot as he left the same hotel after a speech. The attacker, John Hinckley Jr., fired multiple shots, one of which ricocheted off a presidential limousine and struck Reagan in the chest.
(Former US President Ronald Reagan. Photo: Wikimedia commons )
He suffered a puncture in his lung, a fracture in his rib, and was rushed to hospital for emergency surgery. He later recovered and returned to office.
His press secretary, James Brady, was also shot at in the incident and suffered severe injuries that left him disabled for life. His case later led to US gun control legislation, including background checks.
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2026: Trump evacuated after shooting scare
In the latest incident, Trump was escorted out of the venue by security after shots were reported near a screening area outside the main hall.
President Donald Trump arrives to speak in the James Brady Press Briefing Room at the White House after a shooting outside the ballroomt at the annual White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner in Washington, Saturday, April 25, 2026. (AP Photo)
He later said, “A shooter has been apprehended,” adding that he and Vice President JD Vance were safe. Authorities said one suspect was in custody and that the situation was being investigated. The condition of those involved has not been fully disclosed.
Timeline link: Same site, different moments
The Washington Hilton remains marked by the 1981 attack, with a plaque identifying the location where Reagan was shot.
Saturday’s incident at the same venue has drawn attention to the historical link, even as officials continue to assess what happened during the current shooting.
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President Ronald Reagan winces and raises his left arm as he was shot by an assailant as he left a Washington hotel, Monday, March 30, 1981. (AP Photo/Ron Edmonds, File) 
