Route 91 Harvest Festival Issues Statement Following Deadly Shooting
"We will NOT let hate win over LOVE. We will NOT be defeated by senseless violence," the statement reads in part.
As folks around the country and the world continue to grieve and attempt to comprehend the senseless act of violence that took place in Las Vegas on Sunday (Oct. 1), the Route 91 Harvest Festival has issued a statement offering sympathy to everyone affected by the tragedy.
In a post shared to the festival’s official social channels, organizers said they are “completely devastated” by what took place at the festival and thanked first responders, festival personnel, and concertgoers for stepping up to help those in need during as the tragic events unfolded.
The official statement reads:
On behalf of the entire Route 91 Harvest Family, we are completely devastated by the event that occurred last 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.
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. Because it matters.
Live Nation, the promoter behind the Route 91 Harvest Festival, also released a statement following the shooting.
“To think that anyone would want to inflict harm on a gathering of music lovers is beyond our comprehension,” the statement reads. “And while we are stunned and grieving over this incomprehensible act of violence, we know that this is a moment when we must come together to prevent more tragedies like this from occurring.”
Jason Aldean was on stage closing out the three-day festival when bullets began to rain down on the crowd of more than 20,000 from the 32nd story of the nearby Mandalay Bay Hotel. 64-year-old Stephen Paddock fired rounds upon rounds of bullets into the crowd before turning the gun on himself inside the suite that he checked into on September 28. 59 people were killed and more than 500 were injured at the hands of Paddock.
