Erika escorted Kirk out of the event
Erica Kirk was seen crying as she was escorted out of the White House Correspondents’ Dinner after the shooting sparked panic and evacuation at the venue. In a video, shared by a CNN reporter and widely circulated on social media, she was heard saying, “I just want to go home,” as security directed her away. The moment brought attention and sympathy to the shooting death of her husband, Charlie Kirk, in September last year.
Kirk, a conservative political activist and social media influencer, was shot and killed on September 10, 2025, at Utah Valley University during a campus event organized by his group. He was killed in what investigators describe as a targeted shooting, with 22-year-old defendant Tyler Robinson facing aggravated murder charges and a possible death penalty.Meanwhile, Saturday’s dinner was disrupted after a man opened fire near the main security screening area for the White House Correspondents’ Dinner at the Washington Hilton, sparking panic inside the crowded venue.
Hundreds of guests hid under tables while security personnel rushed to the venue. The US Secret Service took the suspect into custody, while the officer who was injured was protected by a bullet-resistant vest and is expected to be OK.The dinner attracted a high-level mix of political leaders, journalists and celebrities, with about 2,600 attendees inside the White House Correspondents’ Dinner at the Washington Hilton.
Those in attendance included Donald Trump, First Lady Melania Trump, Vice President J.D. Vance, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, along with several Cabinet members and senior officials.White House Press Secretary Carolyn Leavitt, who is currently on maternity leave, also attended the White House Correspondents’ Dinner and gave a red carpet interview with Fox News beforehand. Speaking about the speech she prepared for Donald Trump, she said that he was “ready to talk” and that the speech would be “funny and entertaining” and “classic Donald J. Trump,” adding that “there will be some shots fired in the room tonight.”
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This statement attracted attention online after the shooting scare at the scene.