Jason Aldean is speaking more about the mass shooting that abruptly ended his set at the Route 91 Harvest Festival in Las Vegas Sunday night (Oct 1st). The country superstar took to social media late last night to express his feelings about the event.
“Over the last 24 hrs I have gone through lots of emotions. Scared, Anger, Heartache, Compassion and many others. I truely [sic] dont understand why a person would want to take the life of another. Something has changed in this country and in this world lately that is scary to see. This world is becoming the kind of place i am afraid to raise my children in,” he writes on Instagram. “At the end of the day we arent Democrats or Republicans, Whites or Blacks, Men or Women. We are all humans and we are all Americans and its time to start acting like it and stand together as ONE! That is the only way we will ever get this Country to be better than it has ever been, but we have a long way to go and we have to start now. My heart aches for the Victims and their families of this Senseless act. I am so sorry for the hurt and pain everyone is feeling right now and there are no words i can say to to take that pain away. Just know u all are in my heart and my prayers as we all go through this together. Time to come together and stop the hate!”
Fifty-nine people were killed with hundreds more injured after 64-year-old white male Stephen Paddock of Mesquite, NV, began firing automatic weapons from the 32nd floor of Mandalay Bay Hotel & Casino around 10:08 pm PT to a crowd of twenty-two thousand on the streets below. Aldean was performing during the incident and rushed off stage after about ten seconds, according to various videos circulating on social media. Neither Aldean nor his band or crew were injured.
Forty-thousand fans were in attendance throughout the three day event, marking the largest Route 91 Harvest Festival crowd to date. Jake Owen, Big & Rich, Luke Combs and many other artists were at the site when the shooting began. So far, no artists, band members or crew members were among the injured.
“This world is becoming the kind of place i am afraid to raise my children in.”
Organizers of the Route 91 Harvest Festival have released a statement sending out their condolences.
“On behalf of the entire Route 91 Harvest Family, we are completely devastated by the event that occurred Sunday night. Our deepest sympathies go out to the injured and the deceased and their loved ones, senseless violence has claimed the souls of our fans and we have little in the way of answers,” they write.
They continue, “Our eternal gratitude goes out to the LVPD, Emergency services, security guards, and fans for their selfless acts of bravery while trying to help those in need. While we will try and move forward, we will never forget this day. We will NOT let hate win over LOVE. We will NOT be defeated by senseless violence. We WILL persevere, and honor the souls that were lost.”
Last night, vigils were held in Nashville and Las Vegas to mourn the victims. In Music City, Keith Urban, Vince Gill, Amy Grant, Alison Krauss and Nashville’s Charles Esten took to the stage at the Ascend Amphitheater to speak or perform. In Las Vegas, residents and country fans gathered on the Las Vegas Strip and at city hall to mourn.
A GoFundMe account has been set up for the victims. The account was established by Las Vegas Clark County Commission Chair Steve Sisolak and has raised more than $3 million of its $3.5 million goal in less than 24 hours. The Oakland Raiders have donated $50,000 to the fund with Florida Georgia Line, Kid Rock, The Chainsmokers and boxing legend Mike Tyson all donating $10,000 each to it, according to TMZ.
