More than 50 people are dead and hundreds more injured after the deadliest shooting in U.S. history, which occurred Sunday night in Las Vegas. According to the New York Times, a lone gunman opened fire on a crowd of 22,000 during the country music Route 91 Harvest Festival. The suspect, identified as 64-year-old Stephen Paddock of Mesquite, Nevada, reportedly killed himself after the mass shooting.
The shooting started around 10 p.m. PT Sunday as country singer Jason Aldean performed. Per Las Vegas Sheriff Joseph Lombardo, who addressed the horrific incident in a press conference Monday morning, Paddock opened fire from the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay Hotel, aiming at the crowd watching Aldean. Those in attendance said the shooting lasted for about 10 minutes.
"We heard what sounded like firecrackers going off," one concertgoer, Meghan Kearney, told MSNBC. "Then all of a sudden we heard what sounded like a machine gun. ... People were getting shot one foot away from us. People were trying to save their friends. There were gunshots everywhere. Helping them would’ve meant that we got shot, too."
Chance the Rapper, Rihanna, the Weeknd, John Mayer, and more musicians across the industry have taken to social media to express their thoughts and condolences, as well as voice their frustrations with the lenient gun laws in America that allow this kind of thing to happen again and again.
Saying a prayer for all the victims & their loved ones, also for the residents & visitors of Las Vegas! This was a horrific act of terror!!
Lord help us
Horrified to hear about the shooting in #LasVegas. My thoughts are with the victims and their families. Praying for everyone's safety 🙏💔
Waking up to this horrible news in Las Vegas is so heartbreaking. My thoughts and prayers go out to those who were tragically involved
Praying for LasVegas
My heart hurts this morning for Vegas 🙏🏻 gx #PRAYERSFORVEGAS
fuck. feel sick for the victims of las vegas and their families. i'm so sorry
politicians: don't act like you care about mass shootings if you are anti-gun control
no one needs weapons like the one used in vegas. please don't tell me that's for deer hunting
Vegas ❤️🙏🏽
There is no way to make sense of such senseless violence. #LasVegas, our hearts are with you. #PrayForLasVegas pic.twitter.com/2xjMOtoZoh
Our hearts are with the victims in Las Vegas, their families and loved ones who are grieving this morning and to our @LiveNation employees
🙏🏽 for Vegas.
No words. Just grief, sadness, and the never-ending attempt to make sense of something utterly senseless. Love to all in Las Vegas.
Prayers up for Vegas!
Completely heartbroken over the news this morning. Keeping the victims of last night's tragedy in Las Vegas in my prayers 🙏 #PrayForLasVegas pic.twitter.com/ay0BP86om0
This is terrorism plain and simple. Terror bares no race, gender or religion. Democrats & Republicans please unite now #guncontrol 🇺🇸
4 anyone who'd like to join, I'm doing a 20 minute moment of meditation/silence/prayer on my InstagramLive for calming of the 🌎 @ 3:30 PST
Praying for the shooting victims in #LasVegas and those loved ones that are suffering unimaginably today.
There are no words to express the helplessness and sorrow my broken heart feels for the victims in Vegas and their families.
Prayers up for those in vegas ...
Unbelievable what's happening in our country may God bless everyone in Vegas
PRAY FOR VEGAS 🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾
iiF This Country Wanted Shooting TO STOP THEY WILL BAND GUNS EASY #Pray4VEGAS 🙏🏾🙏🏾
I am deeply saddened by what happened in Las Vegas last night. I am keeping all of the victims and their families in my prayers.
I will also do everything in my power to get Congress to pass comprehensive gun reform so these types of tragedies don't happen anymore.
My heart is broken for Las Vegas. Music is a place to find refuge not fear. Praying for the victims and their families.
My heart is breaking for everyone in Vegas tonight. Simply devastating. So much loss.
Horrifying scenes in Las Vegas. My heart and soul is with all the victims & their families and friends. Everybody please stay safe.
Praying for the people in Vegas...I can help feel the current state is a reflection of our leadership..😢😢
Prayers up right now for Las Vegas 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻
That man opened fire from a hotel room window on to a festival crowd and killed 50+ ppl. If that isn't terror nothing is.
Don't even know what to say. To be in Vegas while this is happening, brings a pain to my heart. My team and I are safe Thank God! Prayers up
just woke up...can't believe this is where we are now as a nation. Mind you this is w/o context ---how in god's name do they have auto? How? https://t.co/sqoF7PbkJW
Hearing crazy news coming out of my hometown... Las Vegas, please, stay safe.
