Barack Obama Sends Prayers To Las Vegas After Mass Shooting At Country Music Festival
Former president Barack Obama offered prayers and condolences to victims of the deadly shooting at a country-music festival in Las Vegas, where a gunman killed 50 people and left over 400 injured.
“Michelle & I are praying for the victims in Las Vegas,” Obama shared on Twitter Monday (Oct. 2). “Our thoughts are with their families & everyone enduring another senseless tragedy.” Obama’s children Malia and Sasha Obama are frequent attendants of music events, like the popular Coachella and Lollapalooza festivals.
Now on record as the worst mass shooting in U.S. history, gunman Stephen Paddock opened fire on music fans of the Route 91 Harvest Festival Sunday evening (Oct. 1), where over 20,000 people were in attendance.
With ten forms of rifles, Paddock, 64 shot towards crowds from the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay Hotel. A SWAT team found the suspect dead of a self-inflicted gunshot wound. His companion Marilou Danley has been taken in for questioning. ABC7 reports police do not believe Danley was privy to Paddock’s plan.
Clark County Sheriff Joseph Lombardo told reporters Paddock checked into the hotel on Sept. 28. Officials haven’t connected Paddock’s actions to any religious or political beliefs, therefore the incident hasn’t been labeled a domestic terrorist attack.
In addition to former POTUS, Pope Francis also offered prayers to Las Vegas. Entertainers like Rihanna and LeBron James also offered prayers to the victims.