Late last night in Las Vegas, in the shadow of the Mandalay Bay hotel complex, country star Jason Aldean began performing at the Route 91 Harvest Festival, an annual outdoor event which brings thousands of country fans to Vegas annually. Just as Aldean’s performance got underway, automatic gunfire shots rang out. A shooter/terrorist apparently staying in one of the hotels stood on a high perch and blanketed the concert-goers with deadly gunfire. More than twenty people are dead, although the death toll could rise in the coming hours. At least 100 people are wounded.
At least 20 people have been killed and 100 wounded after a gunman opened fire on a country music festival with a fully automatic weapon Sunday night. The shooting started just as Jason Aldean began his show at the Route 91 Harvest Festival, a three-day country music festival.
Videos posted on social media show Aldean singing as very rapid gunfire begins in the background. He can be seen running from stage as he, and the thousands in the crowd, realized what was happening.
Witnesses reported that a gunman continued to rain bullets on the terrified audience for up to two hours. The victims took the short pauses while the shooter reloaded to run to safety, according to NBC News. Many were trapped in the concert venue as police searched for the gunman.
Police SWAT officers killed the shooter after finding him on the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay Casino, Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Sheriff Joseph Lombardo said.
“Right now we believe it’s a solo act, a lone wolf attacker,” Lombardo told reporters early Monday. “We are pretty confident there is no longer a threat.”
There’s an update on the death toll: USA Today now says there are fifty people killed in this mass shooting. Authorities are now confirming that the shooter was 64-year-old Stephen Paddock, a Nevada resident. The terminology being used changed from “terrorist” to “shooter” pretty quickly after authorities learned that he was an older white guy. To be fair, it’s still possible that Paddock had been radicalized by Islamic terrorists – we just don’t know, and the after-action investigation is just beginning. To be fair, we should be fine with calling white guys “terrorists” too, regardless of whether or not they’re affiliated with ISIS or whatever. When you spend two hours shooting up a concert and killing 20 people, you’re a terrorist. That’s terrorism. Police are also looking for Paddock’s roommate, a 62-year-old woman named Marylou Danly.
As for Jason Aldean, here’s the video of him singing through the first shots, not realizing what was happening. He gets out of there in a hurry. Our thoughts are with the victims and their families.
Insane…. this JUST happened. #PrayForVegas pic.twitter.com/RWgjFW7BHy
— Luke (@LukeBroadlick) October 2, 2017
Aldean posted this Instagram a few hours ago:
Photos courtesy of WENN, Getty.
Such a horrific tragedy. I hope you all are safe.
What is this world coming to?? I just woke up, and checked my phone on the way to the bathroom, as I usually do. (I keep it on silent mode during the night). I took one look and stopped with a cold shiver, and ran to turn on the tv. I just still can’t believe it. 50 dead, and over 400 in the hospital wounded! Why?? What is happening to this world to bring out such evil in some people??
Deepest condolences to those families who lost loved ones, and healing wishes for those injured.
I think we all know why such hatred and violence are surging, don’t we?
Yes we do. On top of that a lot of people still don’t want gun control.
I’ve read comments where people are saying the shooter must have been a Democrat and he knew mostly Republicans who voted for Trump would be at a country music concert.
Yep, we certainly live in The Divided States of America
The world has always been this way. Evil is just better equip…
The evil is obvious. That it confuses so many to mindset and how this is an act a human would carry out demonstrates we’re still decent at our core.
Silver lining… things we can’t know until the situation comes. While bullets came others stayed to help those wounded. Pure courage and compassion.
That a concert was targetted. I get the logistics of mass congregating, but it’s a fracking concert! Go to enjoy a universal language.
You commit an act so evil it associates something beautiful with fear and hatred… words I have for this won’t pass moderation.
I’m sick over this.
From Senator Murphy of Connecticut:
“This must stop. It is positively infuriating that my colleagues in Congress are so afraid of the gun industry that they pretend there aren’t public policy responses to this epidemic. There are, and the thoughts and prayers of politicians are cruelly hollow if they are paired with continued legislative indifference. It’s time for Congress to get off its ass and do something.”
I voted for and agree with him. I can’t post another prayer for the casualties of gun violence. I can’t watch another news marathon on why someone would do this.
In this case the death toll seems to rise every hour. It is now 58 dead and 400 injured.
This is a solvAble problem. No one should die because our elected officials are corrupt which is how I translate the unwillingness to pass gun control legislation.
Well said, Sen. Murphy. Again.
What about the suicide bombers?
This “normal” man could not legally have bought the guns he had. ISIS has “claimed” to be involved. (That was Manchester, right?)
My brother and sister-in-law love to travel and I received an e-mail from Vegas from them yesterday. Just with a picture (Joe is quite a photographer) of my pregnant niece practicing golf swings. Maybe it is an old picture. They always mention when they are going on a trip, but, well, I wonder if I am a wet blanket about that and they skipped off to Vegas for a few days for my niece’s birthday.
We sleep late, so now going back to “finding” them.
Just announced one murder victim from Big Sandy,TN — long story, but that town is a punchline from a joke Joe tells about me. One good thing: they hate country music.
Yes. The solution is OBVIOUS.
GUN CONTROL NOW. Now, now, now.
Poor people and hope they get the help they need.
White man kills then it’s mental illness and shooting incident but non white man kills its terrorism.
Let’s see if Trump tweets and blames the victims for this because they didn’t protect themselves..
He probably won’t say anything becuse most of the victims and the shooter are white.
He doesn’t want to anger his MAGGOTS/Deplorables or the NRA cabal. I would even bet there is a screen cap of a tweet where he supported gun control before he was elected.
But then again, they’re WHITE, so he may talk about how upset he is and how he’s willing to do anything he can for them (which he should) while brown people who want everything done for them die in Puerto Rico.
Trump will send a bland message. Then follow up with some pro-gun speak way too soon after this tragedy.
Im waiting to see who this guy is. Most likely hes someone with a mental issue and too easy access to automatic weapons. But if it’s antifi member, how long till that group gets put on terrorist watch list?
Yeah I’m sure that 65 year old dude with a mass of assault weapons is an Antifa member. *eye roll*
Eliza – his tweet is beyond bland and into ridiculous. “Warmest condolences”? What an idiot he is.
I agree this is an hideous tragedy, and at least #notmyPresident sent a tweet with prayers and condolence. Serious question- did he send a similar tweet to Puerto Ricans, or did he just include them in his golf trophy dedication?
I wouldn’t say that anyone is an antifa “member”. All decent people in the world are antifa by default, because we’re against fascism. It’s weird that there’s even a name for it, when it should just be called being a normal, decent person.
It is not normal behavior. But its not the same as group of any people systematically destroying people who are different.
This is another well known american issue. Gun control and what not. But at this moment my heart goes out to people who lost their loved ones.
Already tweeted his sympathies for the victims. But who surprised at this.
He sent his “warmest” condolences to the families of 50 people who were slaughtered at a concert, and ends his tweet with an exclamation point. Poor fool doesn’t know how to offer sympathy. I won’t bother with him as this city was ambushed watching a country music singer. Jesus. Meanwhile, as the dead are mourned and the two hundred injured pray to survive, Puerto Rico remained basically forgotten for a week as their officials were taunted and ridiculed for their inability to help themselves by trump. Just another manic Monday.
he doesn’t know how because he doesn’t feel it. remember, people like him borrow emotions and behaviours, so they are always just that little (or a lot) off in any given situation.l
It’s just been announced that drumpf is now delaying his trip to PR because of this. White people need him! The brown ones are just going to have to keep waiting.
@Nancy, thought the wording was weird also. It was just as weird that he tweeted so quickly which in the past he waits to comment “until all the facts are in”.
@Honeybee Blues – PR doesn’t need him there. What help is it going to be and I’m sure the security will be a nightmare because, you know, it’s surrounded by a big ocean and it would be harder to get proper security there (rolling eyes now).
Right @swak. All the talking heads were saying how unusual is it he hasn’t tweeted yet, since he generally does very early. Then came his warmest condolences. Damn that’s what you wish a newlywed, warmest wishes….not effen warmest condolences, it doesn’t make sense. He can’t stop himself and had to post something, but as @ArchieGoodwin said down thread, he has to mimic emotion since he doesn’t feel it. His sociopathic behavior is beyond disturbing. Some people say they are desensitized by all the madness, but right now I feel sick to my stomach.
@HoneybeeBlues, are you kidding me? He’s delaying his trip to PR for this, even after everything that went on this weekend? Unfuckingbelievable.
It is a spectacularly spiteful move, even for him.
I mean, I agree that it’s better for the poor people of PR that he not go — but still, what a slap in the face. These people are going on, what, ten days now? — with no resources sent to help them, yet within a couple of hours he decides he needs to visit all of the white victims and families affected by what happened at the concert.
SMH
Lorelai: He’s going to PR tomorrow, Vegas on Wednesday. His clone is taking over and making all the politically correct moves since he effed up so effen much last week.
Honeybee blues is right on. He got out of having to visit the brown skins so he could go commiserate with the white folks in Vegas. Infuriating. Both are horrific but leadership is needed in Puerto Rico. Let them clear the crime scene and notify the families in Vegas.
How absoutly horrifying. What is happening to our country and world!? Its so terribly sad.
“To be fair, it’s still possible that Paddock had been radicalized by Islamic terrorists” ….. or any other group of terrorists we have in this country…..
Anyone with automatic weapons who kills multiple people is a terrorist, imo.
“What is happening to our country . . . . ”
Nothing that doesn’t happen every other month. Everyone acts horrified, everybody knows citizens should not be able to own automatic weapons, then we move onto something else. After Sandy Hook I knew nothing would ever change. If you can kill a group of upper-class white grade schoolers, we the see the agony of the parents, we watch our president cry – and nothing. Absolutely nothing. I’m at the point that I’m having very nasty thoughts about victims of gun violence, and hoping they are all NRA supporters. I’m f*cking exhausted.
The world has been a lot more volatile in the past versus now, crime and violence are actually down but….this whole new loner killer is something that hasn’t happened so much in the past.
@CynicalAnn I agree completely. You don’t have to be a member of a known organization to be a terrorist.
I live in Las Vegas. we’re still calling him a terrorist
He is a terrorist. My sympathies to LV, victims, families …
Good. Because that’s what he is.
He incites terror, therefore he is a terrorist. A domestic terrorist.
People have to stop sugar coating what is happening in this country.
He is a terrorist. Domestic Terrorism IS a thing. Ted Kaczynski, Timothy McVey, Dylann Roof. Someone needs to inform the media and the current administration that white people CAN be terrorists.
@Brandy you’re right. It is an act of terrorism. Some tend to forget the government strong use of terrorism was used in the US. It’s called domestic terrorism. The Oaklahoma City bombing, Columbine, The Centennial Park bombing in Atlanta,. Do you guys remember The Army of God member, Eric Robert Rudolph? He also bombed a women’s health clinic and a gay bar. This all happened before 9/11.
What’s the difference between a White domestic man bombing or shooting up a school, a concert, or any other public venue compared to a foreign terrorist. The difference is if he is White and American it would be said that he has some kind of mental issue. If it’s a foreign born or a domestic Muslin, it would be because he is a terrorist. They are all terrorist.
V4real
You’re right. They’re already exploring how to frame this as a person with issues and not an act that has anyrhing to do with gun safety or control/regulations.
I literally choked on my coffee this morning watching fox news. Reactions to Sen Murphy’s statement glossed over because of his political affiliation and not at face value for the betterment of our nation’s safety. To their credit… there was 1 woman, the host, that kept telling the 2 pundits to stfu because people are still bleeding and dying. This will be political soon, but right now to stop using this extreme suffering to push their own selfish agendas.
Nothing will change. The outrage is manipulated. It will happen again and again. People need to stop trying to isolate these acts of domestic terrorism that could not be prevented by current precautions and start fixing the holes or stop acting so shocked it keeps happening.
It’s terrorism regardless. Americans are firmly aware thart attendance at any major event or simply existing on a college campus might result in the ultimate terror. We’re scared and paranoid and FK the NRA for what they’ve done to our nation.
Of COURSE he will say something. These people are his base! He will NEVER call this out as terrorism, which it is. Terrorist are not only Islamic, and all terrorism isn’t about Jihad.
If you go to conservative websites like Free Republican for example. They’re trying to spin this in so many different directions so it’s not “one of them” So far I’ve seen, it’s a Democrat because shooters are always Democrats, it’s someone from BLM or Antifa related, he converted to Islam; his girlfriend traveled to Dubai so that must be the case. “Could he be CIA trying to make Trump look bad?”
They’re even blaming the media for creating a situation where there’s such anger against Trump because that’s what’s causing this.
Those people always remind me of a friend of mine when I was a kid, whenever she would do something wrong, her mother would never ask her why she did it but “Who made you do it, Ally?” It’s always someone else’s fault because you can never be wrong.
Ugh. You are so right. The lies the right wing media spreads. It’s like every mass shooter has a registered democrat card in his pocket. Such BS.
@Maya – actually, several of the ISIS linked terrorists/lone wolf Muslim attacks (two women were stabbed to death by a man shouting “Allahu Akbar” a couple of days ago in Marseilles) have been linked to histories of mental illness and emotional problems, if you read European papers. In addition, apparently ISIL has suddenly asserted that this shooter had converted to their ideology, although I frankly doubt this. This looks to me like the nutjob white guy going for Death By SWAT.
The definition of terrorism by the intelligence services has a specific meaning: it involves a political component, adherence to an ideology, and a conscious attempt to achieve a political aim. Someone going nuts because he’s unhinged and killing people to leave a mark on history isn’t necessarily a terrorist, but a mass murderer.
So it isn’t as cut and dried as all that, and, yes, a history of mental illness has been publicly brought out in several of the Islamist attacks in Europe.
it was found that the killer had 19 guns. Now there are 58 dead, and estimates of 200-400 injured.
This IS a terrorist attack. That he is white makes no difference.
I’ve yet to hear anyone call mental illness, tbh. This is so clearly a calculated terrorist attack.
I read an article earlier which said he had been “diagnosed” as a psychopath (there isn’t an official diagnosis for psychopathy in the DSM, but there is a lengthy test for it). He also had a history as a prolific bank robber and was on the FBI’s 10 most wanted list at one point, which is consistent with being a psychopath. So yeah, if he truly was a psychopath, then I don’t think this was politically motivated at all.
However, if he truly was a psychopath and was on the FBI’s most wanted list, then why the hell was he allowed to legally purchase firearms?
Went back and checked the article; it was the shooter’s dad who was the bank robber and psychopath. My bad.
He won’t care unless a direct political attack against him is made. A female asks for some type of government response to the degree he hears about it and understands… because I believe his reading comprehension is under a 1st graders… or he finds a way to profit off of it in promotions like that golf fundraiser for PR.
This man’s level of apathy and narcissism is still very shocking to me. Self awareness does not exist.
I mean if a brown man kills someone like this, yes its still terrorism. The issue is obviously hoe people refuse to label terrorism across all races…
I hate that terrorists are only associated with Islam and ISIS in the media. When my local Jewish Community Center was shot up (I am a Jew and was supposed to be there that day but had a tantruming toddler so I stayed home) – it was by an older white guy. I consider that an actor of terror.
Terrorism is any organised violent action against a community aind specifically aiming said community (be it the “western world” or jews) so you are absolutely right.
Terrorism doesn’t mean arab/african islamist fanatic killing people so let’s call a terrorist a terrorist.
However, in the Las Vegas case, we don’t know yet what moved this awful creature. We don’t call the teen-agers who kill their classmates terrorists.
All these cases are painfully horrific things but we can’t run to any conclusions just to be fair and politically correct.
We don’t know what triggered this horror. Maybe just another sicko with a gun. Maybe part of sth bigger.
Terrorists can be any color, gender, sexuality, age..but at this point this case looks like another very sick person on the loose.
What triggered this horror was the ability for this man to buy an arsenal of assault weapons. And Trump made it easier for the mentally ill to buy guns.
I don’t see the point in bringing up being “radicalized by Islamic terrorists” as if only Muslim people can be terrorists. He could have been a Christian trying to kill heathens or an angry, former co-worker.
Exactly. That line bothered me too. I think it was sarcasm, but yeah…he could have been radicalized by any religion/belief system.
Thank you Louise. Why isn’t the first thought that he could’ve been radicalised by right wing Christians? He could even be radicalised by white nationalist Trump supporters. I think to assume that if the shooter was radicalised then it was done so by Islamic terrorists is rather insensitive and might I say, stereotypical.
This post explains perfectly what it’s like for Muslims and Arab Americans when an act of terror is committed http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/features/2015/12/mass-shooting-mass-shooting-151204053117282.html
And yes, this was an act of terror.
@mima thank you. And let’s not forget the oldest terrorist organization in usa is the kkk which is not precisely islamic.
rmfe. You know what she/he meant.
It was an act of terrorism.
The killer was a 64 year old man which doesn’t follow the usual pattern of these mass killers. I was watching GMA and haven’t heard much about this killer. But, I am still blurry eyed and sickened to have to listen to yet another scenario of a deranged mind.
Lightpurple is right. Apparently under Nevada law, mass shooting is defined as an act of terrorism.
The nature of the criminal act is what defines terrorism – not the age, race, religion or even motivation of the killer.
What happens though is the police, the lawmakers, the media and above all the gun manufacturers refuse to state that mass murder by white men (or women) is “terrorism” because it doesn’t fit their agendas or narrative.
What all these things have in common is guns – military-grade guns. And that’s what they cannot confront.
And despite the pathetic attempts at saying armed teachers could have stopped the slaughter of children in Newtown, this new massacre will prompt even more pathetic attempts to sell more guns. Despite the fact that more guns would have done nothing to stop this massacre. Only one less gun – and one less gun of this type. 50-100 shots within minutes? What is wrong with the United States of America?
Straight-up. There is no debate to be had here.
I thought our Seth Moulton issued a great statement, LP. Congress needs to do more than just offer hope and prayers–the time to start passing meaningful gun legislation was 18 mass shootings ago.
But I’m sure the focus will continue to be on Muslims and immigrants who are making our country unsafe /s.
It is terrorism. He aimed at civilians to create chaos and kill as many people as he could.
The sniper chose that spot for a reason, but we don’t know why yet.
@Aerohead I am beginning to become uneasy; there was an antisemitic march in Sweden of all places on Yom Kippur.
I feel like I am living in a fantasy novel where evil was unleashed from the depths of the underworld and is running amok wreaking havoc and death. Dramatic, I know, but it just seems like every single day something horrible happens. But the things that happen are the types of crisis that would have been rare and captured our attention for weeks on end, and yet it is an onslaught day after day.
Love that new gravatar.
I saw that scary-ass anti-Semitic march in Sweden and I was completely shocked. I don’t know why, either, as it seems the world is getting more and more hateful by the day.
I don’t agree with this definition of terrorism here but that’s beside the point and if it’s the Nevada law, then it is what it is.
Came here to agree with you on the sentiment of total disconnection from reality: I was in the bus today and there was writing in huge letters over an ad that said “To hell with all the Polish” which is horrible because there is a huge Polish community in this area of London where I live – and one of them was killed in a hate crime. This is no longer the obvious whites against “brown” people it’s everyone against others. Any others. Then this news, then the Marseille news, then This American Life make a special on a group of white men fighting for their rights because they feel disenfrenchised… What the FUCK is happening????
I justvread this on the Guardian website:
54s ago
14:08
Lombardo (the Sheriff) says the police have found nothing to suggest a motive for Paddock’s attack.
“Asked why they did not regard the attack as domestic terrorism, Lombardo said:
We have to establish what his motivation is first. There is motiving factors associated with terrorism other than a distraught person just intending to cause mass casualty. Before we label with that it will be a matter of process.”
Apparently the guy killed himself after perpretrating this horrible crime.
I planned on listening to that episode of This American Life after work today, but with what just happened I’m not sure I’m in the right mindset to stomach it.
@Kitten. Please don’t. It’s disheartening. I felt litterally nauseous and even asked myself if these people should have so much air time.
It was extremely deliberate placing on the shooter’s part. My sister was there last night (thank God for Facebook, as soon as I saw the headline I went to my feed seeing her post that she was safe) and said that the shooter was right at one of the main exits. He had a female accomplice that was acting really erratic and got kicked out of the concert about 45 minutes prior to the shooting. It’s not clear if she was trying to warn people but it almost sounds like she was trying to scare them into fleeing to that exit.
My sister is understandably very shaken this morning and still trying to get word on her friends. So far one was shot in the shoulder but everyone is alive.
He’s the right age to be a Vietnam vet, for what it’s worth. That’s my generation. Such mass murderers often get their training with such weapons in the military. And of course they can get messed up by experiences in war. So who knows what he thought he was doing if that’s his history.
Our mass murderers and unpaid assassins tend to be lone wolves with twisted personal agendas. They might latch on to something in the news, but generally the real problem is inside them. And of course the fact that it’s so easy to get weapons that can kill 50 and injure hundreds in a few minutes.
Now I’m re-thinking “terrorist” label. He had a LEGAL arsenal. I would label that as state-sanctioned violence
@Aerohead: I agree, and I’m so sorry. This is just horrifying. This went on for two hours- those poor people.
Jesus CHRIST – last I checked there were 20 people dead. Now FIFTY? Not that 20 is a good thing. My goodness. This is awful.
He was shooting down from a room above so most would have been shot in the head, neck, upper body. Not good.
Tragically, the death toll is now 55, with over 500 injured. Those poor people and their families.
*58
Just walked by the TVs in my gym and that is what CNN was reporting.
Ugh and the pro gun people are already bleating on my FB feed. This shooter is a terrorist. And our President will be horrible at comfort and condolences like he is at everything else.
I know. Around 6 am, NPR was reporting 20, but I don’t think it was even 20 minutes later when they came back with 50 victims. I just froze; almost called in sick. Had a bad enough weekend with Trump’s hateful bullshit, now this. It’s just hard to comprehend the magnitude of this evil. My deepest sympathies and heartfelt prayers go out to all the victims and their loved ones.
Unfortunately I suspect his ammo has a lot to do with it the size of the bullet increases damages and the guy who did it knew it. Sick.
58 now apparently, over 500 injured. God. That the perp is 64 is quite surprising. In my head I code terrorists as young men, but of course we really need to get away from such assumptions as anyone is capable of behaving monstrously.
Why do we think he could have been radicalised by Islamic terrorists? Has there there been any evidence to suggest so? No? No evidence? Then why put that narrative out there?
I find this kind of postulation really troubling.
And needless to say this is a horrible horrible tragedy.
I agree. Many people go on massive killing sprees without being radicalized Muslims. Remember Timothy McVeigh?? This was an act of terror regardless of the shooter’s religious beliefs.
It seems very obviously yet another example of crazed and armed violent American white man – ie the default of American violence.
Yes, very obviously. With access to a gun that could fire off that many shots, with that kind of accuracy, within such a short time that he could inflict mass casualties before being detected, tracked down and disarmed. Make America Guns Again.
Exactly and they are the biggest threat to the safety of every American.
From a hotel window, FFS.
Every time I reach what I think is an impossible-to-beat level of shock, something happens to take it up yet another notch.
How can a citizen have this kind of gun????? It’s insane.
White on white crime.
I am heartsick and exhausted by living in a country that tears us all apart every damn day.
Yup. I read elsewhere that the shooter had at least ten more assault rifles in the hotel room where police found him dead, after he committed suicide. How many more lives will be lost to senseless violence before something is done?! How can gun activists continue to insist that access to these types of weapons are a good thing?
Sigh. So much tragedy and violence abounds, it’s heart rending. I swear Trump is like some harbinger of evil and chaos.
I am so glad it wasn’t a muslim or an Arab who committed this horrible act.
I commented on another comment but I think this post explains perfectly what it’s like for Muslims and Arab Americans when an act of terror is committed http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/features/2015/12/mass-shooting-mass-shooting-151204053117282.html
Hey, remember that initially every legit news outlet tied that Philippine luxury resort shooting to Islamic terrorist because there is an ongoing war between the govt forces and Isis type rebels. I believe there is also a martial imposed on the southern region of the country. Turned out the suspect was a Filipino casinoregular (not an Middle eastern tourist) who had huge gambling debt and that he was a devout Christian. I remember BBC has to specify his religion when they covered it. Most of the victims died because the resort hotel protected its casino earnings, shutting the fire exit thereby trapping and suffocating hotel guests and employees. Still, some quarters want to blame Muslims because Christians are not capable of killing innocent people.
Christians aren’t capable of killing innocent people? Do the Crusades ring a bell? Too far in the past….ok: Timothy McVie? Duncan Roof? Columbine boys? Sandy Hook shooter?
What I want to know is HOW IN THE HELL did this guy get all those guns up to that hotel room WITHOUT ANYONE seeing him? Police said it was filled with guns!
“I am so glad it wasn’t a muslim or an Arab who committed this horrible act.” This was on of my first thoughts too.
imqrious2, I’m sure he just wheeled them up in luggage. I heard that he had checked in as a guest. It’s not like hotels have metal detectors. So chilling.
Don’t forget Clare that the media likes to incite excitement and fear in the community by often using untrue and unsubstantiated theories/words/titles and they don’t care about the facts so long as they get their version on the air first.
I agree, secret, but a little unnerving to see this kind of postulation in celebitchy – maybe I misread it or am being hyper sensitive, but I felt that linking Islamic radicalisation to this guy was unnecessary in this post.
I’m pretty sure that’s bleak sarcasm on CB’s part, because an act his horrific in the US is automatically presumed to be terrorism by the media – until said terrorist is discovered to be a) white b) male c) Christian. Then suddenly he becomes a “lone wolf” or a “troubled soul”. It’s predictable, and appalling.
@jetlagged: I agree.
ITA, Clare.
I found it strange that some foreign media are saying they were looking for an “asian woman” who was his partner.
They even plastered her photo everywhere, I guess she’s the one to blame for the “lone wolf’s” attack?
Horrible news to wake up to. No one should have an automatic weapon unless they’re on-duty military.
@Shambles
I agree it’s crazy but they keep selling them as they are the most popular. There needs to be some sort of reform.
WHO NEEDS an automatic weapon (outside of military)?? For hunting?? Doesn’t that kind of take the “sport” out of it (and yes, it makes me sick to my stomach to think of those &*%# who hunt for “fun”, and not food to sustain their families…totally different IMO).
I’m with you Shambles. I’m beside myself that this type of weapon is not only legal, it’s glorified by some on the right. Every time I’ve been critical on FB I get berated for “not understanding” that there are plenty of responsible gun owners and why don’t we ban cars since cars kill, blah blah blah. Each time there’s a shooting, this grade school friend posts a photo of herself cradling one — ostensibly to show where she stands on the gun control issue. Nice, right? I can’t check FB to see if she’s done it again though since I unfriended her the last time she did it.
Ugh. I hear you. It completely baffles me, too. Why? Why do you need an automatic weapon unless you’re planning on killing a large group of people? I literally can’t see any other use for these killing machines. Want to defend yourself? Get a pistol. Like to hunt (don’t agree with you but whatever)? Get a rifle. There is NO. REASON. For civilians to have access to automatic weapons. None.
Agree. Those weapons are meant to kill a large amount of people in a short time. How can they be legal? It’s impossible to fathom.
The law is a human enterprise. The US Congress permits these guns to be legal. The US Congress is completely derelict in its duty to protect the American people, and has been for decades.
Although I support a complete ban on citizen ownership of guns, I recognize that the fight is lost because the NRA successfully created the narrative that gun ownership is a “right.” Once rights are conferred, it is nearly impossible for them to be revoked. Despite how much right wingers would like to go backwards on civil rights, gay marriage, etc., the public and the courts simply will not allow it. The same is true of gun rights.
NRA and GOP have conspired with ammunition manufacturers since the 1990s to erode U.S. gun laws in the name of profit.
Now, shockingly, we are finding out that the NRA is also doing this will the help of (who else) — Russia. Washington Post story details the leadership of NRA at the highest levels are working with Russia groups financed by Putin. These groups started meeting more frequently in 2015, when the Trump campaign was ramping up. The U.S. is clearly being flooded with guns to 1) create profit and 2) weaken our society with chaos. This is absolutely out of hand.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/how-the-republican-right-found-allies-in-russia/2017/04/30/e2d83ff6-29d3-11e7-a616-d7c8a68c1a66_story.html?utm_term=.b41259dc9dfe
It sounded as though he had modified a rifle to make it into an automatic. This must have been planned for quite a while. His brother said he had no military background, no particular political or religious attachments that anybody knew about, and he was off the radar for the police and FBI. No known history of violence.
ISIS seems prone to claiming responsibility for everything these days…. But it seems rather far-fetched. We’ll just have to wait for the investigation to get clues about his motivation. I wonder if he had a terminal illness or reactions to prescription meds? Or other drugs? Something that made him want to go out in a blaze of glory? Some of these mass murderers are into murder-suicide, wanting to take a lot of other people down with them.
The NRA and Republican party have screwed our country because of the twisted idea that being able to buy multiple automatic weapons is the same thing as self protection as defined in the 1700s. It’s insane.
If you think about it in an abortion rights context, it’s easier to see the gun owners perspective. For example, I think limiting abortions to the first trimester is outrageous. Abortion is legal and should be on demand, regardless of how far the pregnancy has progressed. Gun owners think if guns are legal, they should all be legal. I disagree, but I can at least see their perspective.
@Megan. No-my seeing their perspective ended with Sandy Hook.
@Cynical Ann If you don’t see their perspective you will never be able to change it.
They need those automatic weapons because they have the right to hunt to feed their starving families. It’s noble. Everybody knows that deer drive armored vehicles, wear Kevlar vests, and shoot bullets out of their eyes. Those automatic weapons are just giving hunters a fair chance.
Terrorist, pure and simple. Wouldn’t be surprised if some sort of grudge was the cause.
Thoughts and prayers for all involved. What terrible times we live in.
Awful news to wake up to but honestly I’m at the point of a shoulder shrug. Because people will change their profile pics to say “pray for Vegas”, people in congress will send their thoughts and prayers and strongly condemn the shooter, won’t call him a terrorist now that he’s white, will talk about unity and American values crap and next week we will be onto the next tragedy.
We’ve seen this song and dance before and nothing will change. Not one thing.
I feel so sad to see how despondent you are.
UK gun laws became as strict as they are after the Dunblane mass shooting (the one Andy Murray was at) in the mid 1990s. At that time, UK gun ownership had been growing. Govt ordered a commission to investigate and there was a public petition for strict laws almost a million strong – massive in the days when you couldn’t sign online.
I don’t think gun laws cut down on interpersonal violence (just google the “zombie knives” British criminals arm themselves with) but they do largely stop this kind of catastrophe from happening.
Australia has a gun amnesty running at the moment. As at a couple of months ago, over 26,000 guns handed in to authorities. Shocking to think about how many more are out there still. We don’t have a high gun crime rate comparably, but it is on the rise.
Once classrooms of pre k’s and kindergarteners was shot up and nothing changed, I knew nothing ever would.
The UK, Australia, etc. responded swiftly and appropriately to mass shootings. Canada has tried to hold the line as well, despite gun smuggling from south of the border. But the US goes through an escalating series of slaughters with zero response – only increased gun sales – because of the might of the gun manufacturers’ lobby and an American fetish about firearms that results in insecure white men (and many white women) arming themselves like SWAT teams out of racial paranoia about marauding black men.
It’s sad, infuriating and completely self-destructive, but then the Congress also just allowed health insurance for 9 million children to expire, so the government does not see itself in the business of saving lives.
PS It’s true gun laws don’t cut interpersonal violence but they cut interpersonal death, as you say. I live in Canada and often say, given the level of manic, aggressive driving here, it’s a good thing Canadians don’t have guns. It would be just as bad.
WATP – gun laws also cut down on suicide a little bit, I’m pretty sure. Less opportunity for impulsive, in-the-moment action on a suicidal impulse. I would be interested to know if this extends to domestic violence murders.
Gun ownership is largely controlled and regulated by states, not congress. Even if it resided with congress, there is very little will to impose greater gun control in America. Even Bernie is pro-gun.
I’m late again Sixer but yes, gun laws also cut down on suicide. Suicide by gun is more prevalent among older men, too.
As for federal law, Megan, the US had a countrywide ban on assault rifles that was allowed to expire under GW Bush.
This is an article in the Washington Post regarding the drop in suicides/homicides by gun in Australia. It’s five years old, but here’s a snippet”
“So what have the Australian laws actually done for homicide and suicide rates? Howard cites a study (pdf) by Andrew Leigh of Australian National University and Christine Neill of Wilfrid Laurier University finding that the firearm homicide rate fell by 59 percent, and the firearm suicide rate fell by 65 percent, in the decade after the law was introduced, without a parallel increase in non-firearm homicides and suicides. That provides strong circumstantial evidence for the law’s effectiveness.”
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2012/08/02/did-gun-control-work-in-australia/?utm_term=.10dc6650b56a
@Who the assault weapons ban prohibited the commercial sale of imported assault weapons. Domestically manufactured assault weapons could be sold unassembled. The ban was incredibly weak and not renewed because neither Republicans nor Democrats were willing to renew it. I was consulting to a gun control group at the time and had a front row seat to how unwilling Congress is to pass gun control laws – even when they are insanely reasonable.
If you are waiting for federal action, you will be waiting forever.
Secret Squirrel, we have that amnesty program here, too, and guns *do* get turned in…for cash (apparently no one would turn one in w/out incentive). But it is literally a drop in the bucket, so insignificant that it doesn’t even warrant doing. The problem here is so beyond out of control, I despair of anything every stopping this.
imprious – that is your intractable problem now, isn’t it? Problem has got SO big, it’s impossible to deal with. Even if you legislated, how would you get rid of the vast armouries in circulation?
There is something in the neighborhood of 300,000,000 guns in the US. One-third of households self report owning at least one gun.
Exactly, Megan. Plus a great many people ideologically wedded to the right to own one. I don’t even see how you guys can roll it back. So awful.
@polite I agree. Plus Faux News and the GOP made fun of Obama for crying over SH. Because apparently being sad that 26 people in an elementary school dying is not “presidential”.
I am literally incapable of emotionally reacting to anything I wake up to at this point. I just shrug and ‘that seems legit’. I said to myself that I would emotionally pace myself once I knew Trump was president but at that time I just didn’t know how bad it could possibly get. Of course, intellectually I am aware this is probably the reaction from the American people they are going for- rabid or numb but i can’t keep up with the every day, EVERY SINGLE DAY levels of despair and rage.
Yes, Nicole, you described my feelings exactly. After Sandy Hook, which felt like an out of body experience for me I was so overcome with rage and helplessness and despair, I’ve gone numb.
The only thing I’ll add is that I’m bracing for the MAGAts to somehow spin this as a conspiracy designed to make Trump look bad. As if he needed help with that.
I’m the same way. I watch this on the news and it is horrible and tragic. But I know that politicians will do nothing. They are so heavily controlled by the gun lobby, that they would rather have people be sitting ducks in our daily lives instead of taking action.
Yup same. I’m completely desensitized at this point. Yes what happened in Vegas is horrific and awful and tragic, but these mass shootings won’t stop, they will only escalate under this administration. My state is one of the safest states in the country and also one of the strictest states in terms of gun laws. We are proof that gun control legislation is the only viable way to combat these mass shootings.
I’m just so tired and so numb.
Don’t get too comfortable Kitten. Everyone thinks they live in the safest area until someone starts killing people. I remember the saddest day at Sandy Hook. I took my daughter to the park on a sunny December day and came home to find my sister crying hysterically saying they killed babies this time. I further remember some of the parents saying they moved to Connecticut to be “safe.” There is no safe place anymore.
We actually had a terrorist attack here in Boston not too long ago, Nancy so no, I don’t have any illusions. The point is that they used pressure cooker bombs to kill 3 people instead of using assault weapons to kill 50 plus.
The marathon. Oh yes I remember the horror of that day. I wasn’t coming for you Kitten. I don’t want anyone to become complacent and think they’re safe for whatever reason. Those killed last night were going to a concert, the kids at Sandy Hook like I said, Columbine, the movie theatre, the mall, fast food restaurants. I fear for all of us, worry so much more for our children. I can’t even imagine 20 years from now. Hopefully stricter gun control and dealing with mental health will help stop the killings. Boston was attacked by two brothers who were terrorists. These mass shootings are generally young white men who felt victimized by someone and the cowards they are, kill themselves. Domestic or foreign, terror is terror. F them
Nancy-I know what you’re saying but I’ve lived in a densely populated urban environment for more than half my life. I’m not able to avoid crowded areas (nor would I want to, frankly) due to fear of terrorist attack or mass shooters.
Honestly, Americans bag on the Brits for what they perceive to be a blasé reaction to terrorism but personally, I think they have the right idea. You have to live your life and you can’t be in a constant state of fear or paranoia because it’s not emotionally healthy nor does it do anything to stop mass shootings.
But I hear the helplessness in your words and I know exactly how you feel.
@Nancy, yep – we just had one in Edmonton, Alberta yesterday too. It is shocking when it creeps close to home.
Yep Kitten 100. I don’t live in fear, I won’t permit myself to. I have three kids, and my youngest just turned one. They are who I am strong for. They are who I fight for. I don’t want them to know fear. You have to live your life, but with more caution, and awareness of your surroundings. But…when these guys want to go on a binge they will. How careful does one have to be at country music concert, or walking to school with guards hovering you. Our new normal. My eldest has band practice, my son has soccer practice and my baby is absolutely unaware of anything but how happy she is.
I feel bad for the victims but other than that, I really do not care. I just don’t. Nothing changes if nothing changes and American’s love their guns too much to commit to real change.
Meanwhile, I’m going to continue to live my life because that’s all any of us can do. I’m not going to let fear stop me from going concerts, traveling, going to movies, etc. Truth be told, while these mass shootings and terrorist attacks happen more than they should; they are still rare.
If we lived in a sensible country, we’d ban everything except handguns, rifles, and shotguns. Nobody needs an assault rifle or high capacity magazines. Most people justify their arsenals with the second amendment, which is ridiculous. This isn’t the 18th century anymore. A well armed population will do nothing except slaughter each other. The US Military has bombs & tanks and everything in between; you can’t just create a militia and pretend that you’re fighting King George.
When the laws didn’t change after Sandy Hook, then I figured that they would never change.
My god that video, the sound of the gun, I have chills. Those poor people, I shouldn’t be shocked but every time this happens I am.
The gun or guns he used must have been like a machine gun or something quite close to it. When are they going to realize that guns need to be regulated better.
Sadly, we are so wrapped up in trump lunacy, a lot of people don’t know he signed a law in Feb weakening the existing gun laws..
Yes, automatic rifles are small “machine” guns. No particular skill required to hold down a trigger & rapidly spray lots of bullets from above into a packed crowd & hit a lot people. He didn’t need to aim in anything but the general direction. Different kinds of “automatic” weapons vary in firing speed, from 60 to over 1000 rounds per minute. It was literally raining ammunition into the audience.
Las Vegas is well-known as a venue for gun shows, where multiple dealers sell all kinds of weaponry in a huge convention center auditorium.
This just reiterates that no one is safe anywhere
Well, we have to define “anywhere.” Gun violence is higher in states that sell more guns and worse guns and allow more rounds of ammunition. Gun violence is lower in states that sell fewer guns, control the customers, and allow fewer rounds of ammunition. But gun violence happens everywhere with any gun, because that’s what guns do, they make violence.
Countries with stricter gun-control laws have a lower incidence of gun violence – much lower than in the United States.
But can one random person smuggle a gun somewhere and shoot it? Absolutely. However, the odds are much higher of being injured or killed by a gun in certain parts of the United States than almost anywhere else in the civilized world. The only solution is to get the guns.
I know we are all supposed to avoid getting our news from just one source, but some days I am so thankful that Celebitchy is the first website I’ve opened up. I am so sorry, Kaiser, that you had to write up and share this terrible news. But hearing it from you make it a bit less harsh to hear. I am sickened by the needless suffering. Attacks like this did not happen when automatic weapons were outlawed.
Isn’t a person only a terrorist if what they’re doing is for political aims, if we’re just talking about the very definition of a terrorist . If he is, for example ,a disgruntled former employee or something of that sort, then he’s a mass murderer but not a terrorist .
Has the world gone crazy or was it always crazy and we just weren’t paying attention?
Yes, see my post above. Violence is violence but can’t call everything terrorism.
I am not saying I find this less horrific. But terrorism is an organised attack against a community like the attacker at the gay nightclub for instance. That could be considered terrorism, which is fighting with violence an established community of people. Mass murder is not the same thing, I agree.
That said, this might be a terrorist action but we don’t know yet so we can’t jump to conclusions.
Yeah, you are right. Although I feel there should be a different word for people who have political reasons for their killings, but arent organized in any way. Because lone killers who have severe mental health problems will also often blame political views yet I dont feel terrorist is the right word.
He may well have had a political motive, we simply don’t know. The thing that is depressing/infuriating is how the narrative is blatantly different when someone is white.
I’m not surprised he’s white but I am rather surprised by his age.
You’re correct.
If it turns out this guy’s shot everyone up for MAGA reasons or white genocide or whatever, then he’s a terrorist. If, as you say, he’s done it because of a personal grudge or impulse from a psychopathy, then he’s a mass murderer.
Nevada law: mass shooting = terrorism.
The world was always crazy but civilians did not always have access to these kinds of slaughterhouse weapons, and lawmakers in the US at least put up a pretense of caring about human life.
Yes, I saw this above but I still don’t agree. Not because I praise the dictionnary more than life but because I think it doesn’t help to merge all this. Columbine is not the same thing as the Boston attacks and it’s not the same thing as mass-murdering. And it hurst analysis to put all in the same category I think, personally.
It’s like saying that a serial killer is the same than a crime of passion – different M.O.’s different reasons, different situations.
But as I said before, turns out that there is a philosophy behind this (ughhh just to write this is painful) and then I will see it as terror.
I know. I was just saying that if the State of Nevada defines any mass shooting as an act of terrorism, than it meets the legal definition in the State of Nevada.
Given that he was firing an automatic weapon into a crowd of thousands of people I’m surprised that more people aren’t dead. Nevertheless what a horrible tragedy. I’d also suggest sparing a thought for the wounded who will be impacted by their injuries for the rest of their lives.
The number is rising and with 500 people injured it’s not going to stop sadly.
While I don’t disagree that we should call white terrorists “terrorists,” from a legal perspective terrorism usually has to be carried out for political aims (looking at you Charlottesville).
While this very well may be terrorism (and probably is), it’s too early to say for sure.
I just found out about this right now. It’s so sad and scary that people are getting killed when they’re just enjoying themselves at things like a concert. Is there a safe place anywhere these days?
I hate that too. Hate that people like this – no matter their own bullshit “motivation” – seem to mostly have hearts full of envy and anger and resentment towards people who are just having fun/ going to a concert/ going to school/ enjoying themselves on holiday. I don’t care if the rationalisation is religious, political, or some other nonsense. They’re really just people who feel like shit and look for someone to take it out on. Atrocious, especially as an avid concert goer. F@ck this muppet!!
No I don’t think there’s a safe place anymore. I was just at a college football game and was thinking about all the safety precautions now in place. But in this case, for example, the stadium was set into a wooded hillside. I’d think a shooter could easily do major harm from outside the stadium, essentially rendering all the safety measures useless. It is scary and depressing. I loathe our gun happy culture, it’s insane.
States with stronger gun control are safer in terms of gun violence than states with weaker gun control. It really is that simple. Countries with stronger gun control are vastly safer in terms of gun violence than the United States as a whole.
Call your US representative and senators, who are supposed to do something about this, not
just pray. They’re not the ministers in chief. 202-224-3121
Chicago is a huge city with very strict gun control laws and yet it has one of the highest rates of gun violence in the whole country. Parts of Los Angeles are in one of the strictest gun law states in the nation, California, and yet L.A. has some of the country’s highest rates of gun crime. Unfortunately, it’s just not so simple today as stricter state gun control laws resulting in less gun violence. It’s a U.S. epidemic, no matter the so-called “greater safety” (stricter gun laws) of a particular state.
That’s because there are no borders between Illinois and Iowa. There will always be gun-smuggling, but there are still fewer guns (and a lot less gun crime) in Canada than in the US. You’re right that something needs to be done at national level (although nothing will be done).
I don’t understand the point of throwing out the whole “radicalized Islamic terrorist” angle. It’s not like that is the only group out there capable of such hateful violence. Seems extremely inflammatory to me, borderline dog whistle.
Radicalized Islamic terrorist? Yes cause heaven forbid white man ever does bad things on their own. They’re special snow flake.
Ifa muslim does it, every single muslims in the world are responsible and are terrorists.
If a black does it, every single black people are responsible and are terrorist.
But if a white dors it, lone wolf, mental problem, needs help. No way they are terrorists!
Gun culture is totally out of control. No private citizen should be able to, or even needs to, build a personal arsenal. We need gun control.
This is domestic terrorism. And I do feel terrorized. We’re not safe anywhere.
All the sympathy to the victims and their families and friends. I can’t even imagine…
I’m still reeling from the terrorist attack in Edmonton.
now this, and my heart is so heavy this morning.
so many issues that need to be addressed, it’s hard to know here to start. Better gun laws? yes, definitely. an administration who cares? absolutely.
((hugs)) to all this bleak monday morning.
Fellow Edmontonian, just shocked.
No matter the colour of the shooter or the colour of his victims, he created terror. This is a terror attack. One does not need to have been “radicalized by Islamic terrorists” to be a terrorist themselves.
Terror is terror and this man was a terrorist.
Ok. I don’t mean to be rude, and maybe it’s just me, but when he says “don’t worry, me and my crew are safe…” Dude, I don’t give a sh!t about you and your crew!!! Innocent people are legit dead! That statement just rubs me the wrong way….
It did the same for me.
That is not the correct quote so no I’m not offended. He never said “Don’t worry…”. He just said he and his crew were safe.
Yeah, beyond tacky, though we all say and do stupid things in extreme situations. Who gives a sh!t indeed. What are the odds he’ll rise to the occasion the way Ariana Grande did in Manchester?
@Margo: Me too. When I first read it, I thought it came across as very tacky. I don’t think you’re being rude at all.
But after reading the entire thing, and it became evident that this guy clearly wrote it himself (it isn’t some polished, edited PR statement), I feel like we should cut him some slack given the situation — he was speaking from the heart, and honestly that is refreshing these days.
He is probably a complete mess, barely thinking straight, and just typed it.
I’m in absolute agreement. When I first read it I thought well good for you and your crew but then when I read his later post, I realized that he must be so shaken up and I couldn’t imagine how frightening it would be to be there, on stage when this was happening and then on the other end to be in the crowd. Just fucking terrible.
I am sure there were people who cared if he and his crew were safe such as their friends and loved ones.
For me, his post, had an appropriate & sincere tone.
Yeah, it’s definitely not the most eloquent statement I’ve read, but I think he is probably in shock. Two hours hiding out, fearing for your life, while the spree continued is nothing short of traumatic for all involved. In a fantasy world, JA is so shaken up by this he becomes one of the first country singers to speak up in support of gun control legislation. Never in a million years, obviously, but stranger things have happened!
To be fair, he has fans. And I’m sure they were concerned. It’s his Instagram so in this case I feel like it’s ok to put that out there.
Another amazing accomplishment by Emperor Zero:
Worst mass shooting in US history.
God help us. Please Ma’am.
I think he’s solving the so called immigration problem in a really hideously backhanded way. Because who the hell wants to come here right now?? I sure wouldn’t.
How absoutly horrifying. What is happening to our country and world!? Its so terribly sad.
“To be fair, it’s still possible that Paddock had been radicalized by Islamic terrorists” ….. or any other group of terrorists we have in this country…..
I have no idea why this was one of my first thoughts, but it’s almost like another “27 Club” type of thing is forming. So far:
Christian Bale
Amy Schumer
Ariana Grande
now, Jason Aldean.
We know there are probably going to be many more 😞
The 27 club was Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix, Kurt Cobain, Jim Morrison……the only ones that come to my mind at the moment. With the exception of Cobain, who shot himself in the head, the others all od’d at the age of 27.
I finally got the guts to watch the video. Seeing all of those scared , screaming people running around with no place to hide, the singer not realizing it was happening, and nobody knowing where the shooter was, is heartbreaking. It’s a nightmare that this tragedy has become a regular thing. I wasn’t shocked or surprised to hear about it, and this being a normal thing, really shows how bad things have become
@lorelai
Can you explain what you mean? I know what the 27 club is just confused what Christian Bale and Amy Shumer have to do with the shooting at the AG concert and this one?
Iwas confused too and looked it up. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/27_Club
I dunno. This seems like a guy who found a great big easy target and had the means to get it.
The 27 Club refers to the fact that a lot of celebrities have died at the age of 27.
What I was thinking of when making the comparison — which is really not the best, but I’m still waking up — was that the first mass shooting (at an entertainment venue) was at The Dark Knight in Aurora. Christian Bale visited some victims in the hospital afterward.
Then there was a shooting during the movie “Trainwreck” which Amy Schumer was said to be devastated by.
Then the Ariana Grande incident in Manchester. Now this.
I guess my point is, all of these people are now unwillingly members of a small club that *no one* wants to be associated with. If that makes any sense.
It is all so overwhelmingly awful.
You don’t care but French people are with you.We know the horror of shouting attack during a spectacle.
I care. Lots of us do. And I thank you.
Thank you.
Our local radio hosts (who are white, for the record) refused to call him anything but a terrorist. They even specifically called out listeners who may think otherwise because of his race to recognize his actions for the terrorism it is. It was probably the only silver lining to the realization that we’ve surpassed our mass shooting record in a little over a year.
(As of my posting this, the death toll is still 50 and over 400 are now reported injured.)
Opening fire on a crowd of people is TERRORISM. He is a TERRORIST.
My friend’s son was one of the ones killed. He was only 20, shot in the back. I’m still numb hearing the news. I can’t even begin to imagine what my friend is going through. She lives in Carson City, and I live far away, but I’m thinking of what I can do.
I am sorry for what you’re going through and your friend’s loss. I’m sure if you reach out to her it will be appreciated, today and over time. And donations to gun-control organizations help them do their job.
I am so sorry for you, your friend and her family.
I’m so sorry to hear that. My neighbors grandson was killed at the mass murder at Pulse here in Orlando, and I’m still shocked and numb.
I agree that opening fire in a crowd to kill all these innocent people is terrorism. No matter what his race or religion, he went to cause terror and terrorize
Oh god Anastasia, I am so very sorry.
Oh my God. Horrific, Anastasia, I am so sorry for you and your friend. 20 years old… that’s the worst part about these concert attacks. Mostly young people just wanting to enjoy some music, which should be everyone’s right. I’m so sorry.
Anastasia, my heart is so heavy this morning. It is so hard to watch something like this, when you’re so far away, and there’s so little you can do to help. We’re in Chicago now, but my husband lived in Las Vegas for more than a dozen years and still has family there. The first we heard of this was over public radio. The sound of those bullets just – I can’t bring myself to watch any of it. I am so sad for you and for all those who lost someone. I pray for peace .
I’m sorry for your loss, Anastasia. And for his family 🙁
So very, very sorry.
I’m so sorry.
Such a shock for you. Praying.
I hate to be so cynical, but these deaths won’t change anything. Politicians will give fake platitudes today and accept contributions from the NRA tomorrow and vote to allow silencers to be purchased for assault rifles. The people who died will only be remembered by those that loved them. Our government is in bed with the NRA and held hostage by 2A adherents. No one, outside military combatants, needs an assault rifle. And yes, this is domestic terrorism.
If Sandy Hook changed nothing, this won’t, either. It’s sickening that we allow this to continue. FIFTY people killed at a damn concert! Just enjoying the music! And with 400 injured, I fear the fatality count will rise.
I hate to agree with you, but I do.
Just watched the speech by Capt. Mark Kelly and his wife Gabby Giffords, calling for gun regulation after Las Vegas shooting. It was so frustrating to hear Mark speaking on this, because they have been trying for years to make Congress take action. I’ve seen several speeches from them both, and the speech that Gabby gave at the Democratic National Convention was so moving as well. It was sad to see how Gabby is still so disabled by her wounds from six years ago that she was only able to say a few words in support of Mark’s speech today. Made my heart seize up. Here is a woman who knows so well what the survivors who are terribly hurt will experience. I just cannot believe that people will not give up their guns when seeing her and hearing their plea. What do I love with all my heart and soul? What do I love as much as they seem to love guns? Well, it happens to be horses. But I would give up my horse and riding completely, if I knew that horses were being used to indiscriminately kill people en mass. Probably a strange comparison, but I just don’t understand people (many gun owners in my own family).
My sister, who lives on the opposite coast, has been to that concert in past years, so I woke up to the news and started frantically searching her Facebook page to make sure she wasn’t there. I mean, yes, logically, I know I would have heard already if she was, but the fear was still there. Just like after the marathon bombing when I couldn’t help but dwell on the fact that I’d been there, watching my husband run, just two years before; standing near the finish line with our (then) infant son in my arms. Or how my sister-in-law, a kindergarten teacher, gathered our kids after Newtown and told them to hide in a locker and don’t make a sound, no matter what they hear, if someone comes into their school. Or how my older brother works in San Bernadino, or the fear I had when we heard about the Pulse shooting and I rushed to contact my close friends who live in Orlando work at Disney and, yes, are gay.
My point isn’t that this is about me, because it’s not even a little … It’s that this has become so f’ing commonplace in America that it’s impossible NOT to have a story, a connection or personal concern related to these events. EVERYONE does. Yet we do nothing to stop it. This week congress is voting to further loosen our already painful lax gun laws, allowing silencers and armor-piercing bullets to be sold for “sporting” use. It will likely be delayed now—they were already waiting until, kid you not, Steve Scalise came back FROM BEING SHOT, to vote yes on this nonsense—but I have no doubt it will return, because that’s what the gun lobby wants, to be able to sell more deadly weapons to more scared Americans.
As headlines blare “no link to terrorism” for this horrific act of violence, while at the same time reporting a completely unconnected middle eastern restaurant was raided by police.
There’s a significant portion of the American public that’s A-OK, enthusiastic even, about banning an entire religion from crossing our borders in the name of “safety,” but will decry with their last breath adding a single regulation to firearm ownership. Even after a single man, firing for less than a minute total, according to reports, mows down 250 of our fellow Americans. One minute. 50 dead, more than 200 wounded. If that’s not madness, I don’t know what is.
We eagerly believe and accept that young Muslim men can be radacalized through their religion, yet won’t even consider that our gun-worshipping, hate-mongering, fear-based political climate could do the same to our own, heavily-armed American citizens.
I’m left wondering how long it is before one of my personal “near-misses” with tragedy becomes actual personal loss. How long any of us escape the violence.
Hillary Clinton (and others, I’m sure) pointed out that more people would have died in Las Vegas if silencers were used. They knew to scatter sooner only because they could hear the shots.
I have no words. When will anything about the gun lobby & laws change? Unfortunately, I fear never. These mass shootings just keep happening. So sad…..
My heart hurts today. What is going on in the world?
Marylou Danly has been cleared as a person of interest. I hope the media stops releasing her name. As it is, she’s probably going to get death threats.
Why oh why wasn’t OJ at this concert?
No. Just no. You need to stop.
The gun man was apparently using weapons that would be illegal from viewing video he had a machine gun.
The gun(s) — he had 10 with him — he was using was legal in Nevada, and many other states. We don’t have all the details yet, so it may have been illegally modified to full automatic, but the weapon itself was legal and the instructions to modify are ludicrously simple and easily obtained online, including step-by-step YouTube videos. (And, no, the videos aren’t illegal because they have disclaimers about don’t do this if it isn’t legal, reference purposes only, blah, blah, blah.)
OMG! 10 guns? How did he get in there with all of those weapons? Even if they’re legal, seeing someone with 10 guns should be a warning he wasn’t just there to cheerfully sing along. It sounded like he was shooting a machine gun. I’d probably notice someone carrying a machine gun, and be a little nervous
Doubtful he carried them in uncovered, but, technically, as an open carry state, he could have. USA Today is now reporting 58 dead and 515 wounded. By one man. In less than a minute of firing time. Using completely legal weapons. No clue whether he obtained then legally, but has been reported that all models/types in his possession are legal to own in Nevada. Since it seems like he had no arrest record, he almost certainly would have been able to buy them legally. All of which is utter insanity.
If you have the money and no records that would bar your access to weapons, you can easily rack up quite a collection. I live an area where hunting is pretty commonplace, and I have a few friends that own upwards of 10-15 rifles and other assorted fare. They’re responsible gun owners, but a disturbing amount of people are not – and the problem with terrorists is that plenty of them can slip under the radar until it’s too late.
It doesn’t matter who radicalised him, Islam or Christianity or whatever, the man is a TERRORIST.
I know that the definition of terrorism is one who kills for a political aim, but isn’t killing people in a mass shooting in and of itself somewhat political? The gunman isn’t killing people for personal conflicts with those people he’s killing. Why else would s/he kill multiple people if not to make a statement of sorts? That’s why I agree with Nevada law in this case: a mass shooting is an act of terrorism.
My heart goes out to all of the victims, both the dead or injured, as well as their families. I’m so sorry for what has happened to you and I wish I was strong enough to take it back.
Political or social aim broadcast by the use of fear tactics. He is most definitely a terrorist. There is a statement being made here, a violent and angry one.
It is terrorism. It’s white domestic terrorism.
Or as Emperor Zero says:
MAGA!
I feel like the world is imploding . So sad.
it is completely beyond my comprehension why people want/are allowed to own/carry automatic weapons. But then, of course, the UK doesn’t have quite the same gun culture.
Money, plus it benefits some groups politically to keep people weakened and afraid.
The Islamic State claimed that the shooter was one of their “soldiers”, like they usually do everytime a terrorist attack happens. They claimed it after the London and Orlando attacks too, so this wasn’t just something people jumped to the conclusion and reported that it must be radicalized Islamic terrorists. Again, ISIS was lying.
Didn’t Trump promise while campaigning, that he had the perfect plan to end ISIS in his first 30 days in office ? Maybe he forgot the plan
This remains the issue that frustrates me the most in this country. We do nothing. Even states that have stricter gun laws can’t prevent weapons coming across state lines. After Sandy Hook happened and no action was taken how can anyone have real hope? I remember being so shocked and horrified by the footage of my alma mater being terrorized by a lone gunman 10 years ago-thinking nothing like this will be allowed to happen again. We WOULD take meaningful action. It’s sickening and heartbreaking.
I’m moving today and had no idea what happened. I scrolled my news feed on fb and I have a friend in Las Vegas who actually went to the event. She was sharing everyone her experience and to let everyone know she was okay. The whole experience sounded like a complete nightmare. I thank God she’s okay and she didn’t bring her little girl, I know it would have even been worse.
Let’s call them what that coward was: a terrorist. Anyone who maliciously inflicts terror onto people are terrorists. They don’t have to be a Muslim to be a terrorist and it’s racist to associate the two.
My heart goes out to Vegas and everyone involved. I hope everyone can recover and that this doesn’t detour people from enjoying life going forward.
If it’s true that the vote on silencers was being delayed until Steve Scalise could come back from being shot to vote YES…well, I have no words left. That is genuinely incomprehensible to me.
How much money do these politicians get from the NRA to make it worth this? Do they not think they would get re-elected if they actually took a stand?
I’m just echoing what others here have already said, but if nothing changed after Sandy Hook, nothing ever will. MAYBE a member of a sitting President’s immediate family being shot in the face in public? SMDH
Lorelai
Have you ever heard the powerful seal in secrets as currency? It’s not always about getting rich. It’s about power and secrets by a large majority.
With that said… it might not be about collecting wealth, but selling your soul to live a life at the cost of others.
Like 1 of those what would you choose questions. Like “the trolley dilemma” only no one you know needs saving. You’re just greedy and dgaf.
They reportedly cancelled the hearing on silencers (AKA “The Hearing Protection Act”, yes that is your cue to VOMIT), in the wake of the Las Vegas shooting. I heard the interviews with Steve Scalise. He prayed.
The only reason he’s alive today is because he’s a congressman. He had the dumb luck to get shot with a competent field surgeon and security people around. 100s of others who prayed for their lives after they were shot, weren’t so lucky as him. So I’m curious how he will vote on that issue. And if he votes for silencers, what a whopping “F-U” to the have-nots.
Why can’t hunters just wear hearing protectors? They’re available in sports shops. I have a pair of ear muff type that are pretty effective. I don’t shoot guns but my vitamix is awfully loud… Came in handy when the fan in my computer went bonkers and was extremely noisy when I had a few hours to go on a job, and also when they’re making lots of noise in the neighborhood (power mowers, jackhammers etc.).
Seems unsporting to not warn other animals that vicious human hunters are around also.
I detest the NRA and the Republican Party. The NRA has deep pockets and the Repubs have sold their souls for them.
Excerpt from NBC News report.
“The NRA and other supporters say rolling back 80-year-old restrictions on silencers are an “important safety-oriented aspect of the bill that will help protect the hearing of America’s hunters.”
But critics charge silencers, which mask the sound and flash of a gunshot, will cost lives by making it harder for law enforcement and shooting victims to tell where shots are coming from in active shooting situations.
“Imagine how much worse last night’s shooting could have been if the gunman had a silencer,” said Mark Kelly, the former astronaut who runs the pro-gun control group Americans for Responsible Solutions with his wife, former Rep. Gabby Giffords.
Republicans have tried to pass the SHARE Act several times before, but the NRA calls the current version “the most ambitious and consequential yet.”
The bill would, among other things, loosen regulations on the sale of armor-piercing bullets, expand gun rights on public lands and shield people transporting guns across state lines from local laws. It would force courts to reimburse a plaintiff’s legal fees if they are improperly detained.”
A very sad day! Tom Petty has passed away today. I dislike the news!!!
I posted a meme saying the shooter was a terrorist on FB and got a response from some dude saying “Shame on you for using this tragedy to further your political agenda”. Like…. no dude…you kill and injure that many people, you’re a terrorist. That’s not partisan, that’s the truth.
My husband and I arrived in Vegas last night, exactly when the attack began. It’s just surreal. The blvd is closed to traffic, no cars whatsoever. Eventually, something sordid will come out about this cowardly murderer.
OMG. Twenty-three guns in the hotel room according to the Washington Post.
A guy I know was in the hotel room next to the shooter. Thankfully he managed to escape and spent several hours hiding in the bushes until he was rescued. I just can’t imagine having to do that. Nobody should have to do that.