Jason Aldean, moments before a gunman opened fire on the Route 91 Harvest country music festival in Las Vegas Nevada on Sunday, October 1; Photo: Getty
In the aftermath of the Las Vegas mass shooting — one of the deadliest mass shootings in United States history, according to the New York Times — celebrities’ reactions can help fuel their fans with courage.
In this case, the initial gunfire went off as country singer Jason Aldean performed his song “When She Says Baby” at the Route 91 Harvest country music festival, as we can see from video footage of the attack. The shooter killed 58 people and wounded 515 others.
The firecracker-like sounds of the gunfire, which seemed like it was “never going to stop,” writes Mark Gray of Rolling Stone, interrupted Aldean singing the opening lines of his song: [LISTEN]
Some days it’s tough just gettin’ up
Throwin’ on these boots and makin’ that climb
Some days I’d rather be a no show lay low
Before I got outta my mind
In hindsight, those lyrics are now truer than ever.
That same night, Aldean posted an image on Instagram with the over-layed words “Pray for Las Vegas” along with a statement in the caption: “Tonight has been beyond horrific,” he writes. “I still don’t 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,” he goes on. “It hurts my heart that this would happen to anyone who was just coming out to enjoy what should have been a fun night.”
In various audience-captured video footage, we can see Aldean sprinting off stage with his guitar. While most commenters echoed his prayer and safety sentiments, a handful chided him for this in the comments of his Instagram post for not warning the crowd before running off.
Meanwhile, Route 91 Harvest performers are slowly posting reactions.
Fellow country performer Jake Owen who was on stage with Aldean at the moment of the attack, told the Times, “I feel so bad for these people. We’re so lucky that none of us were in the line of fire.”
Kane Brown, who played on Saturday, was more brief — “The world is sick,” he tweeted.
In the aftermath, the police found the shooter, Stephen Paddock, 64, dead in his room on the 32nd floor of the nearby Mandalay Bay Hotel. He had turned the gun on himself.
Despite ISIS claiming responsibility for the attack, the F.B.I. special agent on the case, Aaron Rouse, said investigators have found no evidence that that’s the case.
This tragedy comes just a few months after the fatal bombing at an Ariana Grande concert in London. Unlike Aldean, Grande waited at least a full day before releasing any type of statement, seemingly to allow herself to process what had happened (understandably).
Though Grande did have an immediate, poignant reaction to the Vegas massacre, tweeting, “My heart is breaking for Las Vegas. We need love, unity, peace, gun control & for people to look at this & call this what it is = terrorism.”
You can watch footage of the initial moments below, but be warned as the footage is distressing:
