India, April 27 -- Within minutes of gunfire near the high-profile White House Correspondents' Association Dinner in Washington, DC, social media platforms were flooded with speculation, conspiracy theories and unverified claims - many suggesting, without evidence, that the incident had been staged.

US President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance, senior officials and journalists were attending the dinner at the Washington Hilton when a suspect allegedly opened fire after bypassing security.

The accused, identified in media reports as Cole Thomas Allen of California, was quickly detained, while top leaders were escorted to safety.

The suspect in the shooting incident has been identified as Cole Thomas Allen. Photo: Viral X image.

'...