Las Vegas: At least 20 people were killed and over 100 were injured when an attacker opened fire at a music festival here, police and eyewitnesses said.
The victims died early Monday morning after they were admitted to the University Medical Centre following the shooting near the the Mandalay Bay Casino on the city’s Strip, a hospital spokesperson confirmed to CNN.
Out of the 24 injured, 12 were critical, she added.
The Las Vegas Police Department announced that one suspect was down without giving any further details.
Flights to and from the city’s McCarran International Airport have been temporarily halted “in response to reported shooting incident on Las Vegas Strip”.
UPDATE: Flights in and out of @LASairport have been temporarily halted in response to reported shooting incident on Las Vegas Strip.
— Harry Reid International Airport (@LASairport) October 2, 2017
A witness told CNN that there was “complete chaos” following the incident.
“I think I’m in shock…It took me a minute to even realize what’s going on,” he added.
Videos on social media showed hundreds of people fleeing from the scene. The sound of what appears to be automatic gunfire can be heard in some clips.
Live footage from the scene showed a heavily armed police presence.
VIDEO of Active Shooter at the Tropicana near Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas #MandalayBayShooting #LasVegasShooting #LasVegas #MandalayBay #Luxor pic.twitter.com/1UFHQRJX7M
— Progressives 4 Democratic Republic (@ProgressivesDR) October 2, 2017
– ‘Like firecrackers’ –
“We heard (what) sounded like a glass breaking, so you looked around to see what’s going on and then heard a pop, pop, pop,” Monique Dekerf told CNN.
“You’d think for a moment okay we’re fine, there’s no more gunfire, then it starts again.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B7ixInjs0C4
IANS inputs