According to ABC News and multiple news outlets, at least 50 people were killed and over 400 were injured when gunman 64-year-old Stephen Paddock opened fire on Route 91 Harvest Festival concertgoers from the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada last night. When the shooting started, country music star Jason Aldean was in the middle of his headlining set.
“This sounded like a full-on, automatic rifle just unloading at that point,” Jake Owen, who played before Aldean, recalled on The Bobby Bones Show this morning. “Jason was out on the catwalk, he just pulled his guitar up in the air and started running back towards the drum set to get off the stage, and that’s when you knew. People started fleeing. I’ve never seen anything like this before.”
While hunkering down during the chaos, the Florida native Tweeted this gut-wrenching message. Pearl is his 4-year-old daughter.
Gun shots!!! Vegas. Pray to god. Love you guys. Love you Pearl.
— Jake Owen (@jakeowen) October 2, 2017
Listen to Jake’s harrowing firsthand account below.
“Tonight has been beyond horrific. I still dont know what to say but wanted to let everyone know that Me and my Crew are safe. 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,” Aldean shared via Instagram.
Jason’s pregnant wife, Brittany, also took to Instagram to express her shock after fleeing the scene, “We are safe… our angels were definitely watching over us tonight. No words for what happened… Just horrific. Praying for everyone.”
Local authorities urge family and friends looking for their loved ones to call the Las Vegas Police Department at 1-866-535-5654. Blood donations are also desperately needed in the Las Vegas region. Newsweek provides a useful list of real ways to help out victims here.
Scheduled Blood Drives:
United Blood Services- 6930 West Charleston Boulevard Las Vegas, NV / 601 Whitney Ranch Drive Henderson, NV
American Red Cross- Spring Hill Suites Las Vegas Convention Center 2989 Paradise Road Las Vegas, NV/ Ernest May Elementary School 6350 West Washburn Road Las Vegas, NV
Our thoughts and prayers are with Las Vegas and all those touched by this unimaginable tragedy.
Please share this update with other country music fans and consider helping those impacted.
