Deadliest Shooting In U.S. History: At Least 59 Killed At Las Vegas Concert
The previous deadliest shooting came in June 2016 when 49 people were killed at the Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Florida.
U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday termed as “an act of pure evil” the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history at a concert in Las Vegas that killed at least 59 people and injured over 500 others.
Trump also called for unity, asserting that in moments of tragedy and horror, America has always stood united. As a mark of respect for the victims of the senseless act of violence, the U.S. President issued a proclamation ordering that the U.S. flag be flown at half-staff at the White House and other federal buildings.
Trump said he would be travelling to Las Vegas on Wednesday to meet with law enforcement, first responders and families of the victims. Trump will travel to Puerto Rico on Tuesday.
Hundreds of our fellow citizens are now mourning the sudden loss of a loved one: a parent, a child, a brother or sister. We cannot fathom their pain. We cannot imagine their loss.Donald Trump, U.S. President
At least 58 people were shot dead and another more than 500 injured when a gunman went on a shooting rampage during a music festival in the casino city of Las Vegas in the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history.
The FBI has joined the investigations.
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The gunman identified as Steven Paddock, 64, was a local Las Vegas resident, and was killed in a 32nd floor of a hotel room. The police have also located an Asian female identified as Marilou Danley, 41, who has been described as roommate of the shooter.
The police said they received first reports of active shooting from a Mandalay Bay Hotel towards a musical concert taking place across the road. The gunman was shooting from the 32nd floor of the hotel. He was shot dead later during an exchange of fire with the police.
“We believe the individual killed himself prior to our entry,” Las Vegas Sheriff Joseph Lombardo told a news conference in the Nevada gambling hub.
At least eight rifles were recovered from the room that had been rented by the 64-year-old.
Concert-goers screamed and fled in panic as a steady stream of automatic gunfire rang out at the venue shortly after 10 pm (local time Sunday), footage captured on smartphones showed.
Thousands of fans were attending the concert next to the Mandalay Bay as part of a three-day country music festival known as Route 91. Witnesses said Paddock opened fire with an initial long burst, and then appeared to reload as he continued his spree.
“We heard (what) sounded like a glass breaking, so you looked around to see what's going on and then heard a pop, pop, pop,” Monique Dekerf told CNN. “You’d think for a moment okay we’re fine, there's no more gunfire, then it starts again.”
Her sister Rachel said it sounded like “the shots were coming from the right side ... it sounded like they were right beside us too ... it was right there”.
Best-selling country singer Jason Aldean was on stage and near the end of his concert when the shooting began. Aldean initially carried on playing when the first crackle of gunfire could be heard but then hurried off the stage once he realised that it was a shooting.
Robert Hayes, a firefighter from Los Angeles who was watching the concert near the front of the stage, said he first thought the gunfire was some kind of equipment malfunction. Once he realised what was going on, he joined the first responders, donning one of their vests.
“Honestly I probably pronounced 15-20 people” dead, he told Fox News. “It was pretty much like a war scene inside.” The emergency crews used anything to hand as makeshift stretchers, including tables and metal railings normally used to control the crowds, said Hayes.
Asked if he thought it was an inexperienced gunman, he responded: “With 30,000 people in the arena area, it was kind of like shooting goldfish ... He didn't have to be good.” Although the final toll has yet to be confirmed, it is already the deadliest shooting in the United States.
The previous deadliest shooting came in June 2016 when 49 people were killed at the Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Florida. It was also the latest in a series of recent deadly attacks at concert venues.
Twenty-two people were killed while leaving an Ariana Grande concert in the northern English city of Manchester in May when a suicide bomber detonated a nail bomb in the foyer. Ninety people were killed in November 2015 at the Bataclan venue in Paris during a concert by the U.S. band the Eagles of Death Metal.
A shocked Aldean told his fans via Instagram that he and his band was safe.
“Tonight has been beyond horrific,” the singer wrote. “I still don't know what to say ... My thoughts and prayers go out to everyone involved tonight. It hurts my heart that this would happen to anyone who was just coming out to enjoy what should have been a fun night.”
