ABC/Richard Harbaugh
Jake Owen and other country stars took to social media Sunday night after apparently witnessing the mass shooting that took place during a country music festival in Las Vegas near the Mandalay Bay Casino and left more than 50 dead.
“Gun shots!!! Vegas. Pray to god. Love you guys. Love you Pearl,” he tweeted, in reference to his daughter, Olive Pearl. He added, “Praying for everyone here in Vegas. I witnessed the most unimaginable event tonight. We are okay. Others aren’t. Please pray.”
The shooting erupted during Jason Aldean’s set at the Route 91 Harvest Festival, a three-day event which featured major stars including Eric Church, Sam Hunt, Maren Morris and Brothers Osborne, Lee Brice, Kane Brown, Michael Ray and Lauren Alaina. Aldean was closing out the festival on Sunday night.
“Tonight has been beyond horrific,” the two-time ACM Entertainer of the Year said on Instagram. “I still don’t know what to say but wanted to let everyone know that Me and my Crew are safe. 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.”
“Spent I don’t know how long on the floor of a trailer behind the stage…” Chris Young — who’s been on tour with Aldean this year — tweeted. “Know multiple people are dead. Listening to that gunfire… I’m literally shaking still.”
“Prayers to everyone at @Route91Harvest in Las Vegas,” Dylan Scott shared. “We are ok, had literally just left for the airport. What is wrong with this world!!”
“This world is sick,” Kane Brown tweeted. Michael Ray wrote, “My heart is breaking, we were just there Friday! My prayers are with everyone.” Luke Combs tweeted, “We’re safe. Love you guys.”
“Praying for everyone at Route 91. That crowd was one of the best I’ve played all year,” tweeted Lauren Alaina. “This news is devastating. My camp is home & safe.”
Josh Abbott wrote that everyone in his band is accounted for, adding, “They evacuated us from Mandalay. My fiancee is still in room. They won’t let me in but she’s safe.”
“Take cover and get safe immediately,” tweeted Brothers O. “Prayers to everyone there.”
Las Vegas law enforcement now say more than 50 people were killed and more than 200 injured when an apparent lone gunman opened fire from a perch high up in the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas Sunday night, police said. The gunman is now dead.
Other artists who were not at the festival also sounded off:
Martina McBride: Watching this horrific news from Las Vegas and Route 91 Festival. We played this festival last year. Praying for everyone’s safety.
Dan + Shay: Feeling absolutely helpless watching the Vegas situation unfold via social media. Fans, friends, artists, crews, everybody, please be safe. This is so scary.
Brennley Brown: Please please pray. I have family in Vegas hunkered down hiding. Please pray
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