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50 killed, hundreds injured in shooting at US concert

LAS VEGAS, October 2, 2017

A gunman at a Las Vegas hotel rained a rapid-fire barrage on a huge outdoor concert festival on Sunday night, sending thousands of people fleeing. 
 
At least 50 victims died, and hundreds of others were wounded, officials said, making it one of the deadliest mass shootings in United States history.
 
The "nonstop gunfire," according to one witness, sent more than 22,000 attendees of a country music festival across the street from the hotel ducking for cover and scrambling for their lives. Police say the suspect, who was found dead, had over 10 rifles.
 
Bystanders sprang into action, caring for the wounded and at least one of them described a man's dying in his arms.
 
“We believe the individual killed himself,” said Sheriff Joseph Lombardo of the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department on CNN.
 
Online video of the attack outside the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino showed the singer Jason Aldean performing outside at the Route 91 Harvest Festival, a three-day country music event, interrupted by the sound of automatic gunfire. 
 
The music stopped, and concertgoers ducked for cover. “Get down,” one shouted. “Stay down,” screamed another.
 
Video of the shooting captured nine seconds of rapid-fire, continuous bursts, followed by 37 seconds of silence from the weapon amid panicked screaming. The barrage of gunfire then erupted again in at least two more rounds, both shorter than the first.
 
President Trump issued a statement on Twitter on Monday extending sympathies to the victims and their families.
 
Earlier witnesses on social media said the shooting broke out on the last night of the three-day Route 91 Harvest festival, a sold-out event attended by thousands and featuring top acts such as Eric Church, Sam Hunt and Jason Aldean.
 
Off-duty police were believe to be among the victims, reported Reuters.

US media, including Fox News, reported that Aldean was performing around 10:45 p.m. local time on Sunday when the rampage began but that he had been bundled safely off stage at the event outside the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in the Nevada gambling mecca. CNN reported all the artists were safe.

Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city, known primarily for its gambling, shopping and entertainment.

Some flights were diverted after news of the incident emergedm, said the BBC report.

The country music festival had been taking place since Friday at several hotels on the Las Vegas strip.

Hundreds of people fled the scene and the sound of what appeared to be prolonged automatic gunfire could be heard on videos posted on social media.

There had been reports of other incidents at different locations along the Las Vegas strip, but police say they believe the dead suspect acted alone.

A hospital spokeswoman said 14 of the wounded were in a critical condition, the report added.




Tags: killed | mass shooting | Las Vegas concert |

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