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Stories Of Heroism Emerge: ‘While Everybody Else Was Crouching, Officers Were Standing Up As Targets
Las Vegas, Nevada – Military veterans and police officers put their training to use during the deadly mass shooting and were seen plugging bullet holes in victims with their fingers, according to an eye witness (multiple videos below.)
“You saw a lot of ex-military just jump into gear,” witness Russell Bleck told the “Today” show on NBC. “I saw guys plugging bullet holes with their fingers.”
“While everyone else was crouching, police officers (were) standing up at targets, just trying to direct people, tell them where to go,” he added. “The amount of bravery I saw there, words can’t describe what it was like.”
“In a world where everyone’s kneeling, I saw hundreds of people standing up and running toward the danger,” Bleck told Fox News.
Plugging gunshot wounds helps to kick in the body’s defense mechanisms that prevent rapid blood loss, the New York Post reported.
The New York Post wrote that experts say severe wounds must be quickly plugged with the fingers or packed to temporarily stop the hemorrhaging.
Bleck also described the hectic scene to the Today show.
“That was an automatic rifle, without a doubt. He was just spraying the crowd. He was relentless. There was no stopping,” he said. “You had five, maybe eight seconds to move from cover to cover to try to move and get out of there as he reloaded.”
Criminal Defense Attorney Brian Claypool also spoke with Fox News about a police officer on scene who ran forward while calling for others to run away while the suspect reloaded.
“I was in this dark little room right next to the fence where it felt like the bullets were coming,” Claypool said. “That police officer deserves a medal, he jumped over that fence, with a revolver, he shot that fence to go ahead and fight whoever he thought was on the other side of that fence.”
White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders got choked up while speaking about the shooting:
“One man, 29-year-old Sonny Melton, had traveled from Tennessee to Las Vegas for the concert with his wife, Heather. When the bullets began raining down from above, Sonny shielded her from danger, selflessly giving up his life to save hers. They’d been married for just over a year.
“Others risked their own lives to save people they had never met. Mike McGarry of Philadelphia laid on top of students at the concert to protect them from the gunfire. “They’re 20, I’m 53,” he said, “and I’ve lived a good life.”
“Lindsay Padgett, and her fiance, Mike Jay, fled for cover during the attack and immediately returned to the scene with their pickup truck to help transport the wounded to nearby hospitals.
“Gail Davis, who was attending the concert with her husband, says she owes her life to a brave police officer who instinctively served as a human shield protecting her from harm.
“Sadly, multiple police officers, both on duty and off duty, were among those killed or injured.
“But what these people did for each other says far more about who we are as Americans than the cowardly acts of a killer ever could.”
Shooting Details:
More than 50 people were killed and over 500 people were injured when a gunman opened fire with a full-automatic weapon at an outdoor country music concert on Sunday night, October 1.
The incident, described as “the worst mass shooting in modern American history,” occurred about 10 PM near the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino, according to NBC News.
The suspect, Stephen Paddock, age 54, of Mesquite, Nevada, opened fire with a full-automatic weapon from a room on the 32nd floor of the Resort, firing into the mass of people.
Paddock was located inside the Resort by police, where he fatally shot himself when confronted by police, according to Fox News.
An image of Paddock was gathered from his Facebook page before the company took his page down.
It was a scene of terror, fear, and chaos, as shots rang out while performer Jason Aldean was on stage. It was the final night of the three-day Route 91 Harvest Festival in Las Vegas Village.
One witness, Meghan Kearney, told MSNBC, “We heard what sounded like firecrackers going off. Then all of a sudden we heard what sounded like a machine gun. People started screaming that they were hit… When we started running out there were probably a couple hundred [people] on the ground.”
She said, “People kept dropping and dropping. … People were getting shot one foot away from us,” she said. “People were trying to save their friends. There were gunshots everywhere. Helping them would’ve meant that we got shot, too.”
Clark County Sheriff Joe Lombardo said that a couple of off-duty officers were fatally shot, and two Las Vegas police officers were being treated at a local hospital for their injuries. One officer is listed in critical condition, and the second officer’s injuries were described as “minor.”
The identities of the victims have not yet been released.
Sheriff Lombardo said that Paddock acted alone, and that there was not a second shooter, according to CNN. Sheriff Lombardo said, “Right now, we believe it’s a sole actor, a lone-wolf-type actor.”
Police used explosives to enter Paddock’s room and found several weapons inside. No further details have been provided yet on what the weapons were.
They also interviewed Paddock’s roommate, Marilou Danley, age 62, for her possible involvement in the massacre, and there is no information at this time linking her to the attack.
Paddock’s brother told Daily Mail that Danley was Paddock’s girlfriend.
A U.S. official said that there was no known link to overseas terrorism or terror groups.
A witness, Monique Dumas, described the incident:
“Everyone instantly crouched when they heard the shots.
The band was rushed off the stage, the floodlights came on the crowd, and you see on the right hand of the stage the person who was injured, so they’re calling for medics, calling for security, then there was gunfire again.
It seemed there was a pause in the gunfire and the people in the yellow shirts were telling the people to ‘go, go, go, go’ … the gunfire never ended, it seemed like it went on and on and on.”
Two vehicles connected to the incident, a Hyundai Tuscon and a Chrysler Pacifica Touring, both with Nevada license plates, have been located.
Aldean later posted on social media that he, his wife Britney, his band, and crew members were safe. In a social media post, he said, “My thoughts and prayers go out to everyone involved tonight. It hurts my heart that this would happen to anyone who was just coming out to enjoy what should have been a fun night. #heartbroken#stopthehate.”
In a statement on social media, Mandalay Bay said, “Our thoughts & prayers are with the victims of last night’s tragic events. We’re grateful for the immediate actions of our first responders.”
Las Vegas Mayor Carolyn Goodman said “Pray for Las Vegas. Thank you to all our first responders out there now.”
Nevada Governor Brian Sandoval said a “tragic & heinous act of violence has shaken the Nevada family”. He offered prayers to all those affected by “this act of cowardice.”
President Trump also said on social media, “My warmest condolences and sympathies to the victims and families of the terrible Las Vegas shooting. God bless you!”
No motive is known yet for the attack. No victims’ names have yet been released. All flights at the airport were temporarily halted.
On Monday morning, the scene remained chaotic, and police continued their investigation.
Police asked family members who were looking to locate missing loved ones to call 1-866-535-5654.
OfficerDown.US is accepting donations which will be used to aid Las Vegas Metro PD during this time.
Blood drives are being arranged in Las Vegas for anybody available to donate blood.
