​At Least 59 Dead and over 500 Injured in Las Vegas Concert Shooting

Shots were unleashed on the crowd during Jason Aldean's set at the Route 91 Harvest festival

BY Sarah MurphyPublished Oct 2, 2017

Tragedy struck during a country music festival in Las Vegas last night (October 1). According to multiple reports, a gunman opened fire on the crowd during a set from Jason Aldean, killing at least 59 people and injuring more than 500. It has become the deadliest mass shooting in U.S. history.

The massacre took place at the Route 91 Harvest festival, an outdoor event on the Vegas Strip. The suspect, identified as 64-year-old Stephen Paddock, fired shots from the 32nd floor of the nearby Mandalay Bay Hotel. He subsequently shot and killed himself.

After locating a person of interest named Marilou Danley, the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department say they believe Paddock acted alone.
 
The shooting rampage began at 10:00 p.m. local time. Witnesses claim that the stream of gunshots lasted for longer than five minutes and that it sounded like hundreds of shots were fired. Many also claim that they thought the sounds were just faulty fireworks or power lines at first.
 
Chaos quickly erupted as 30,000 concertgoers tried to flee the scene or take cover under vehicles and the stage. Radio host Cam Brainard told CBC that, in addition to seeing many people wounded from the gunshots, many others were "getting trampled."

At least three Canadians are among the dead. One of those has been identified as 23-year-old Jordan McIldoon of Maple Ridge, BC, while a second Canadian who died in the attack is reportedly a woman from Alberta. Two Manitoba women were also injured in the attack, as were two men from Saskatchewan.
 
Facebook has since set up a safety check for those in the affected area, as well as their families and friends.
 
Disturbing footage of the attack has surfaced on social media. Aldean and his band can be seen fleeing the stage in the video below. Watch at your own discretion.
 
Aldean has since confirmed that he and his crew escaped the incident safely, but shared a message of condolences for those who did not.
 

A number of artists who also performed at Route 91 Harvest, as well as many others, have also shared messages in the aftermath of the violence. Read a selection of those below.
 

 
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