Tim McGraw and Faith Hill are among the many country singers turning to social media to offer their thoughts in the wake of the deadly mass shootings that took place at the Route 91 Harvest Festival in Las Vegas on Sunday night (Oct. 1).
The couple turned to Instagram on Monday (Oct. 2) to share their grief at the violence.
64-year-old Stephen Paddock opened fire into the crowd of 22,000 on Sunday night during a headlining set from Jason Aldean, who closed out the final night of the three-day festival after performances earlier in the day from Jake Owen, Josh Abbott Band and more. Authorities have confirmed 58 fatalities and more than 500 injured so far, making it the deadliest mass shooting in U.S. history. Paddock took his own life after shooting from his hotel room down into the crowd for nearly five minutes. No motive has been released yet for the crime.
Many of the performers from Sunday night turned to social media to assure fans that they were safe, while others shared their harrowing experiences while the shootings were taking place. Aldean was onstage and had to run for cover with his band and crew when the shooting started, while Owen — who performed directly before Aldean on Sunday night — recounted the shooting from side stage and Chris Young was forced to take cover from the shooting in a trailer.
Photos From Route 91 Harvest Festival Show Humanity in the Chaos
Josh Abbott recounted being evacuated from the Mandalay Bay hotel while his fiancee was still inside, though he knew she was safe. Dee Jay Silver and his wife had the terrifying experience of taking cover behind buses while their 13-month-old was asleep upstairs in their room, which was just down the hall from the 32nd floor Mandalay Bay hotel room Paddock was firing from.
Josh Abbott Band guitarist Caleb Keeter said online on Monday that being on hand for the shootings Sunday night has changed his formerly fierce advocacy for gun rights and the Second Amendment. He said the guns the band carries legally on the road were “useless” when the shots started.
“We couldn’t touch them for fear police might think that we were part of the massacre and shoot us,” he admits, adding, “We need gun control RIGHT. NOW.”
Stories Out of Las Vegas Are Terrifying
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