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Nevada alum recounts shooting
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2017
VOLUME 124, ISSUE 6
VEGAS STRONG
Reno community gathers downtown to honor deceased, injured in shooting
Staff Report When a man opened fire late Sunday from the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay hotel, firing indiscriminately into a crowd of 22,000, Nevadans were left in shock. Even more than a day later, many people across the state — including right here at the University of Nevada, Reno — are only just beginning to sort through just what happened Sunday night. To get a better sense of those events, we spoke to Nicole Kowalewski, a former design editor for The Nevada Sagebrush who now works in Las Vegas as a graphic designer. She was at the concert, in the line of fire, and she told us her story. This interview has been edited for length and for clarity. Nicole Kowalewski: “So, I was at the concert. It was the third day of the concert, the last act, Jason Aldean, and I had attended this festival once before, last year, and everything was fine. Everything was smooth. I thought nothing of it again this year. “And I’m standing in the crowd, looking at the stage, I’m on the right side of the stage, which is closest to the Mandalay Bay hotel. From the crowd, we heard what first sounded like firecrackers, like fireworks. It only lasted a few seconds. It was just one of those
“‘...we need a medic, she’s been shot. She’s on the ground...’” noises you hear, and you don’t see any immediate reaction so you’re just like, ‘oh, whatever, I don’t know what that was, but it’s fine.’ “And, thirty seconds to maybe a minute passed, and all of a sudden, you just hear someone screaming, ‘we need a medic, she’s been shot. She’s on the ground, get the medic.’ This woman was five people from me. Immediately after that, within the next thirty seconds, this man just, just — just firing shots. “It seemed to last minutes, and I’m sure it was only 30 to 45 seconds, but it just seemed like a lifetime. And it just kept going, and going. People are screaming, ‘just get down to the ground, take cover.’ And none of us know what to do, we don’t know where it’s coming from, we just know that shots are being fired out of the air. People are falling down, you can hear bullets ricocheting off the ground, ricocheting off the fences. “The first round went off, and everyone’s on the ground, we don’t know what to do. I’m trying to get my cell phone and call my parents, just tell them what’s going on. And then, the second round fired. So after the first round, people got up, and are trying to run. And everyone’s like, ‘no, take cover, get on the ground, he’s gonna shoot again, don’t run.’ “We’re in a completely open venue, there was not a single thing covering any of us. And there are thousands of people there, 40,000 people, it was completely sold out this year. When the second round went off, I stayed down between rounds. I didn’t want to get up. I was with one other friend of mine. Her and I are on the ground, shaking, don’t know what to do.
See INTERVIEWpage A2
Karolina Rivas/Nevada Sagebrush
Sean Savoy of the Nevada Interfaith Coalition for Equality, speaks at a vigil at Reno City Plaza on Monday, Oct. 2. The vigil was organized to support those affected by the mass shooting in Las Vegas that killed over 50 people and injured more than 500.
By Madeline Purdue and Karolina Rivas Members of the Reno community gathered at the Reno City Plaza on Monday, Oct. 2, for a vigil in honor of the 59 people killed and more than 500 people injured during a mass shooting on the Las Vegas Strip on Sunday. City council members and religious figures of the community spoke to the crowd in order to provide words of sympathy and condolences to those affected. Nicholas Uy is from Las Vegas and attended the vigil to show his support of those affected. “I have a mix of emotions about the tragedy that happened,” Uy said. “Really, I just want to show my support, however I can. Whether it’s donating blood or coming here, I just wanted to show my support to the families and victims. It really hits home for me, [...] I’m just thankful that none of my friends and family were hurt but it’s just crazy.” Organizers of the event included the Nevada Interfaith Coalition for Equality, NICE, and other community leaders. “I think it’s important for us to come together to remember that we need to support each other,” Sean Savoy, Director and Founder of NiCE said. “This particular event has affected us in Nevada since our sister city in Las Vegas has been traumatized by this horrible occurrence that happened last night during that festival. It’s important for us to come together in peace and for us to come together in non-violence and it’s important for us to come together in the American way which is to gather despite our tragedies to look
forward to a brighter tomorrow.” The Nevada Gun Safety Coalition also attended the vigil to raise awareness to gun control in Nevada. Reno resident Greta Anderson feels strongly toward making a change to the legislation for the safety of others. “I’m here tonight because I am so firm in believing that [...] we cannot simply any longer say that we are sending out our thoughts and prayers to the victims and to those that have been left behind,” Anderson said. “Rather it is the time that we make critical changes in our legislation and to say that that is not politicizing the issue. [...] When we talk about gun rights, what about human life rights. [...] Let’s think what is humanitarian, humane and reasonable.” After the speeches concluded, vigil candles were lit, and people joined together in singing the infamous Beatles song “Let It Be” together before holding a moment of silence. Monday night the city of Reno honored those affected by having the downtown Reno arch sign go dark. The attack began around 10:00 p.m. Sunday night when gunfire rained down on a sea of 22,000 concertgoers attending the Route 91 Harvest Festival, an annual three-day country concert held in Las Vegas. Headlining performer Jason Aldean was about 20 minutes into his set when the gunfire started. Aldean was pulled off stage and people at the concert fled the scene or laid on the ground to avoid being shot. “Every time we heard shots, we’d hit the ground and just stay there until they would stop for about 30 to 45 seconds,”
said concertgoer Shelly Mallory to CNN. “And then we would run as fast as we could. ... I thought the shooting would never end.” The shooter—Stephen Paddock, a resident of Mesquite, Nevada—had busted the windows of his hotel room at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino on the 32nd floor and shot into the concert crowd across the street. Reports show that Paddock had checked into the hotel room on Thursday. First responders entered Paddock’s hotel room about an hour after receiving initial reports of the shooting. Paddock turned the gun on himself and died of a self-inflicted wound. Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department Sheriff Joe Lombardo briefed the media first around 12:45 a.m. Monday. Lombardo refused to release the name of the shooter. He confirmed that two people were dead and dozens were injured. However, that number grew as media briefings continued on Monday. As of print time, 59 people were confirmed dead and 527 people injured, making it the worst mass shooting in U.S. history. The Federal Bureau of Investigation is assisting with the investigation. Authorities found more than 30 weapons at Paddock’s hotel room and residences in Mesquite and Reno. Cell phone footage distributed to different national media shows concertgoers carrying wounded people out of the concert venue and trying to find alternative ways to get to hospitals. The injured were brought to the University Medical Center, the only Level I trauma center in Las Vegas. As UMC filled, ambulances and patients were diverted to other hospitals
in the valley. The Las Vegas Strip was under lockdown for several hours after the shooting, leaving many visitors displaced and unable to access to their hotel rooms. The University of Nevada, Las Vegas, opened the doors of their Thomas and Mack Center, which can hold up to 19,500 people. The last restriction on hotels was lifted around 7 a.m. and visitors at the Mandalay Bay were able to access their rooms. LVMPD set up a hotline number where friends and family could call to try and locate missing loved ones. The number is 1-866-535-5654. LVMPD requests that people only call for information on missing people, not other information. The country responded to the tragedy through social media, statements and press conferences. President Marc Johnson sent a statement to the university on Monday offering his condolences to the students and faculty with connections to Las Vegas. “Our campus has numerous connections with Las Vegas, from students who proudly call Las Vegas their home to colleagues, friends and alumni who live and work there. Our campus is deeply saddened by what has happened. Our condolences and prayers go out to all of the victims, their families and their friends,” said the statement. Clark County declared a state of emergency on Monday in wake of the shooting. UNR will host a vigil in front of the Joe Crowley Student Union on Tuesday, Oct. 3, at 7 p.m. Madeline Purdue can be reached at mpurdue@sagebrush.unr.edu and on Twitter @ NevadaSagebrush.
How to help those affected in Las Vegas By Madeline Purdue
By late Monday, the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department confirmed 59 dead and 527 injured in wake of a mass shooting on the Las Vegas Strip on Sunday, Oct. 1, making the attack the deadliest mass shooting in U.S. history. Many people in the Reno community, including a large portion of the University of Nevada, Reno, population, have connections to Las Vegas and are wondering what they can do to help the hundreds of people affected by the shooting. Others are looking for resources to help them heal mentally from this tragedy. These are the things happening in the Reno area that can help people heal and benefit those affected.
VIGILS Multiple vigils are popping up around the city in recognition of those affected by the shooting. Join Action Together Nevada, Nevada Interfaith Coalition for Equality & Inclusion, Battle Born
Progress, Nevada Clergy Association, Nevada Gun Safety Coalition, Organizing for Action, Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, the Interfaith Coalition for Gun Responsibility and local spiritual and faith leaders and government representatives set up a vigil at Reno City Plaza on Monday, Oct. 7, at 6 p.m. UNR is also hosting a vigil in front of the Joe Crowley Student Union on Tuesday, Oct. 3, at 7 p.m. A large banner will be available at this vigil to sign that will be sent to Las Vegas on Thursday.
DONATE BLOOD Thousands of people have shown up to United Blood Services to wait hours in line to donate blood in wake of the shooting. However, the blood bank has said they have enough blood for now as if they take more it will go bad before it can be used or transported. Even so, it encourages people to keep coming back later in order to donate. “We understand that people want to come forward now to show their support, however,
to effectively manage the blood supply for patients, we are asking donors to make appointments to give blood throughout the coming days and weeks,” officials said in a statement. Those interested in donating blood can make appointments at NevadaHeroes or call 1-800-6964484. Other organizations are also setting up blood drives. Alpha Sigma Phi will be hosting a drive in the Rotunda on Monday, Oct. 9. Sign up to donate online at http:// bit.ly/2xTbw8D. The Orvis School of Nursing is also hosting a drive in the Rotunda on Monday, Oct. 23. Sign up to donate online at http://bit.ly/2yEzkue.
DONATE TO GOFUNDME There have been a number of GoFundMe and other crowdsourcing pages set up to help those affected by the shooting. Savanna Chasco, a member of the Alpha Omicron Pi sorority, has a GoFundMe set up to help her pay her medical bills after being shot at the Route 91 Harvest Festival.
Karolina Rivas/Nevada Sagebrush
A woman holds a sign at Reno City Plaza during a vigil on Monday, Oct. 2. Vigils are one way the community is helping victims of the shooting in Las Vegas.
People looking to donate can look at GoFundMe and other crowdsourcing sites to see who is asking for help.
RESOURCES There are a number of resources the university provides that can help people recover emotionally and mentally from the shooting. In a statement, President Marc Johnson encouraged students and people on campus to reach out to counseling services.
The Counseling Center can be reached at wwwunr.edu/counseling or 784-4648. The Associate Vice President for Student Life can assist with class absences, academic, financial and personal support of those affected. He can be reached at 784-1471. Madeline Purdue can be reached at mpurdue@sagebrush.unr.edu and on Twitter @madelinepurdue.