Mandalay Bay shooting: At least 20 dead and 100 feared injured near Las Vegas casino
A mass shooting at a music festival near Mandalay Bay casino on the Las Vegas strip left at least 20 people dead and about more than 100 injured. The police killed the gunman hiding at the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay hotel, media report claims. Police are now searching for a female companion who was seen travelling with the suspect before the shootings.
The shooting broke out on Sunday night during the final performances of the three-day route 91 Harvest country music festival.
According to the people attendant the concert reported muzzle flashes from the upper floors of the Mandalay Bay hotel and casino across Las Vegas Boulevard from the festival and the sound of what they described as automatic gunfire.
Gun shots!!! Vegas. Pray to god. Love you guys. Love you Pearl.
— Jake Owen (@jakeowen) October 2, 2017
The shooting began during the performance by country music star Jason Aldean. According to the fan present in the crowd described the incident horrific, as the 40,000 fans in the crowd began to flee, said, “The music stopped temporarily and started up again before another round of gunshots sent the performers ducking for cover and fleeing the stage.”
Kodiak Yazzie, a fan present told the Associated Press that he took cover and said he saw flashes of light coming from the Mandalay Bay hotel tower high above.
The city’s McCarran International airport said flights in and out of the airport had been temporarily halted “in response to reported shooting incident on Las Vegas strip”.
Police haven’t disclosed any information that would suggest a motive for the shooting or revealed the identity of the suspect.
Las Vegas city hall said it was a “very sad night for Las Vegas” and warned members of the public to stay away from the south end of the Vegas strip, where the Mandalay Bay hotel and casino is located.
The music festival has been held for the past four years on a 15-acre lot across Las Vegas Boulevard from Mandalay Bay.