US President Donald Trump has been rushed from the White House Correspondents’ Dinner in the US capital after an armed suspect was detained following a shooting incident.

An armed suspect was detained after the shooting incident that briefly disrupted proceedings.

Speaking after being evacuated, US President Donald Trump said a United States Secret Service agent had been shot at close range but had been saved by his bulletproof vest and is now recovering. The president added that he had himself spoken to the injured officer. Trump also posted an image of the suspect in custody in a move he said was to ensure transparency.

According to the 79-year-old, an armed man carrying multiple weapons had approached a security checkpoint at the event before being subdued by Secret Service personnel although this statement did not indicate how the Secret Service agent had been shot.

The president was speaking from the White House alongside the secretary of homeland security and the head of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

The FBI has now confirmed that a suspect is in custody following reports of gunfire at the Washington Hilton, where the dinner was being held and that its Washington Field Office said the National Capital Response Squad had been deployed to the scene.

Witnesses in the Hilton have been reported as saying they heard a number of loud bangs in quick succession which led some attendees to head for emergency exits or take cover under tables until security forces secured the area.

One correspondent cited by the BBC said the sounds, heard at about 20:35 local time, came from near the ballroom entrance. Details are still vague on exactly how the incident unfolded, although some accounts claim the suspect was attempting to pass through security checks before being apprehended.