What started as a country music concert turned into a bloody massacre overnight, and it’s being called the worst mass shooting in U.S. history.
The shooting happened as thousands of people gathered to watch country music artist Jason Aldean perform for the Route 91 Harvest concert in the streets outside the Mandalay Bay Casino.
At least 50 people were killed and more than 200 people were injured.
The gunman, who has been identified as 64-year-old Stephen Paddock, was killed during a confrontation as police raced to confront him on the 32nd floor of that casino.
Multiple units from @LasVegasFD responded to the incident on the south end of the Las Vegas Strip Sunday night. pic.twitter.com/35UhQXrlOs
— Las Vegas FireRescue (@LasVegasFD) October 2, 2017
Witnesses describe the scene as chaotic.
“My friend was like ‘I just got hit,'” one witness said. “He got hit three times and people started diving for the ground and it just continued, it was chaotic.”
In videos from the concert, many concertgoers aren’t even aware a shooting is taking place as the “pop-pop-pop-pop” of the gun can be heard in the distance. Some say they thought it was fireworks.
“We refused to believe it was a shooting until it kept going and going and then Jason Aldean left the stage and then everyone started fleeing,” one witness said.
SWAT teams were sent to the resort, clearing out the 29th floor and working their way up.
“Through investigation and response we determined there was a shooter on the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay. Officers responded to that location and engaged the suspect at that location,” police say.
President Trump tweeted about the shooting saying, “My warmest condolences and sympathies to the victims and families of the terrible Las Vegas shooting. God bless you.”
My warmest condolences and sympathies to the victims and families of the terrible Las Vegas shooting. God bless you!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 2, 2017
Police tracked down Marilou Danely, a woman who officers believe is the suspect’s roommate.
Off-duty police officers who were at the concert are among the dead. Two more officers were also hurt.
An ISIS propaganda video targeting Las Vegas was released in May – but as the investigation began, police said they didn’t believe this was an act of terrorism. Still, no one could say what was behind this deadly mass shooting.
