Dierks Bentley Says Las Vegas Shooting is the ‘Heaviest, Darkest Thing I Can Remember Since 9/11′
"I'm having a hard time even physically moving right now," Bentley says.
Like many Americans, Dierks Bentley is having a hard time comprehending the mass murder that took place on Sunday (Oct. 1) when a gunman opened fire on the Route 91 Harvest Festival in Las Vegas, killing 58 innocent victims and injuring more than 500.
“I’m having a hard time even physically moving right now. I had to take Twitter off my phone because I’ve just been looking at it for two days straight,” Bentley shared with The Hollywood Reporter. “It’s just the heaviest, darkest thing I can remember since 9/11.”
Speaking on behalf of himself and fellow artists, Bentley explained that the entire country music community is feeling pained in the aftermath of the horrific shooting.
“Those fans are all family to us. It’s a community like no other, and I’m sure I know some people that were killed or wounded. We see a lot of the same faces on the road. It’s a really tight group,” he explained. “The boundaries between the audience and the stage are thin, metaphorically, in country music.”
After the shooting, Bentley took to Twitter to express his concern writing, “Prayers for everyone in Las Vegas… Our country music family of fans and friends. God Bless all those hurting right now. At a total loss for words.”
On Wednesday, the singer said he smiled for the first time in two days when he visited a Nashville-area Red Cross to donate blood to help the wounded.
For now, Bentley says he’s happy to be in Music City with his wife and three kids with no tour dates on the books until November 18.
“Fortunately I’m off the road for a little while. I would have to dig really deep to walk onto a stage right now,” he said. “I have a lot of respect for artists who are out there helping fans heal and playing shows.”
