Wolf Blitzer recounts ‘terrifying’ moments during shooting at White House press dinner

Wolf Blitzer said he experienced a "terrifying" ordeal when a gunman opened fire near him during the White House Correspondents' Dinner at the Washington Hilton, according to his account of the incident.

Blitzer said he had just exited a men's toilet on an upper floor near a security screening area when he noticed a man carrying "a very, very serious weapon".

"All of a sudden I heard these loud, very loud, very scary gunshots right near me. Next thing I knew, a police officer threw me to the ground and was on top of me," he said, describing the initial moments of the shooting, says CNN.

He said the gunman was only a few feet away when the shots rang out.

"I had no idea, as I was hearing the gunshots, who this shooter was aiming at, or if he was just trying to scare everybody," Blitzer said. "And, of course, the first thing that went through my mind was whether he was going to shoot me."

As officers moved to subdue the suspect, Blitzer said the gunman continued firing.

"I did see the gunman on the ground after he started shooting. Police officers threw him to the ground but he was still shooting. And I could hear the shots going off," he said.

Law enforcement personnel then moved Blitzer back into the toilet, where he sheltered with about 15 other people while the area was secured.

"It was a terrible, very frightening moment for me," he said, adding that a strong police presence at the event contributed to a swift response.

Authorities said Blitzer was not injured. A Secret Service officer was struck in protective gear during the incident. The event was later cancelled and rescheduled.

In a separate reaction, Donald Trump praised the response by security personnel.

"Quite an evening in DC. Secret Service and law enforcement did a fantastic job. They acted quickly and bravely. The shooter has been apprehended," he said.