More Than 20 Dead, Dozens More Injured At Concert Attack In Las Vegas
LAS VEGAS (AP) - The Las Vegas sheriff says more than 20 people are dead and more than 100 people are injured after a shooting attack on a country music festival.
Las Vegas police said two off-duty officers are among the dead.
One on-duty officer is in critical condition and another was wounded.
Several officers from California were attending the outdoor Route 91 Harvest Music Festival on Sunday when a gunman opened fire. A Bakersfield Police officer was shot and taken to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries.
Authorities have not released any of their identities.
Las Vegas police said one suspect is 'down'. The Las Vegas sheriff said officers killed the gunman on 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay Hotel and Casino across the street from from outdoor concert.
The sheriff says they believe this was a "lone wolf" attack but said they are looking for a roommate of the dead suspect as a person of interest.
At this time we do not believe there are any more shooters. More information to come shortly from @Sheriff_LVMPD.
— LVMPD (@LVMPD) October 2, 2017
A concert-goer says he heard what sounded like fireworks while he was watching Jason Aldean's performance at the Route 91 Harvest country music festival Sunday night.
Chaos at the Route 91 Harvest x Mandalay Bay | Shots fired, multiple casualties reported | Crazy ???? #VegasStrip #Route91Harvest #MandalayBay #LasVegas pic.twitter.com/lzPVJpsQge
— Chino Dollaz Said.. (@IamChinoDollaz) October 2, 2017
Omg!! What's happening ??? #route91harvest ???????????????????????????????????? #LasVegas #musicfestival pic.twitter.com/lQnay1saW3
— Ian H. ✨ (@unruly_cooliee) October 2, 2017
Thirty-six-year-old Kodiak Yazzi said the music stopped temporarily and started up again before another round of pops sent the performers ducking for cover and fleeing the stage.
As the 40,000 fans in the crowd began to flee, Yazzi took cover and said he saw flashes of light coming from the Mandalay Bay hotel tower high above.
The bursts of pops would start and stop for more than five minutes. He says he saw dozens of ambulances as he ran for safety. He later got a Lyft driver to take him home to suburban Henderson.
Concert-goer describes mass shooting. Her friend's daughter was shot but says she will be ok #8NN pic.twitter.com/tne58J2aQG
— Karen Castro (@Karen8newsnow) October 2, 2017
Authorities swarmed the Strip after they received reports of an active shooter.
Country music star Jason Aldean took to social media to say he and his crew are safe. Aldean was in the middle of his performance when the bullets rained down on the crowd. He posted on Instagram hours later, calling the shooting "beyond horrific."
Authorities shut down part of the Las Vegas Strip and Interstate 15. Flights in and out of Las Vegas' McCarran International Airport were temporarily halted. Some flights later resumed.
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