Zachary Levi recalls hearing ‘loud bangs’ during WHCD shooting scare, says ‘there was commotion’

WASHINGTON, DC: ‘Shazam’ actor Zachary Levi is opening up about the gun firing that rattled this year’s White House Correspondents’ Dinner event. The 45-year-old said the mood inside the Washington Hilton ballroom shifted suddenly when loud, unexpected banging echoed through the room during the event. 

“We were sitting at the table when these loud bangs went off. It definitely caught my attention,” Levi told USA Today on Saturday, April 25. Levi was seated alongside Mike Johnson and his wife, Kelly Johnson, as the moment unfolded. 

President Trump was also present in the room during the harrowing incident.

Zachary Levi describes shooting scare at White House Correspondents’ Dinner 

Known for action on screen, Levi said the real-life moment felt surreal as loud noises rang out inside the Washington Hilton ballroom. “In the back of my head, I thought, you know, jokingly thinking, ‘That kind of sounds like gunshots.’ But that wasn’t necessarily confirmed,” Levi said.

“It could have been some things in the hallway, some tables that were falling, that were banging down. I don’t know.”

The uncertainty quickly turned into alarm. “The next thing we saw, everybody started to turn and drop. There was commotion,” he continued. “Everybody started to kind of hide under tables, and the Secret Service were pouring in.”

Levi said agents moved swiftly to secure the room, focusing on top officials including Mike Johnson and others in government. “They were trying to get to anyone of importance and get them out as quickly as they could,” he added. The night eventually resumed, but the sudden scare left a lasting impression on guests.

What happened at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner shooting?

Panic broke out shortly after the harrowing incident on Saturday when a 31-year-old man tried to get through a security checkpoint. Secret Service agents exchanged gunfire with him before he was caught. 

Officials said he had a shotgun, a handgun and several knives. One agent was shot in the chest but survived because of a protective vest and was later released from the hospital. Inside the venue, top leaders, including Trump, Melania and Vice President JD Vance, were quickly taken out as security teams moved in and secured the area.

Trump said he stayed calm during the situation. “I wasn't worried. I understand life. We live in a crazy world,” he told CBS News. He also said Melania Trump quickly understood how serious it was, adding, “I saw the scene, and she looked very upset about what just took place.”