Yesterday, October 1, 2019, was one of my hardest days covering hockey.
Rewind to September 29, 2017:
My wife and I (begrudgingly so) headed down to "the strip" (Las Vegas Blvd) for Day One of the three-day Route 91 Harvest Festival, with a couple close friends. Growing up on the East Coast, I was never a big country music fan. When anyone asked what music I liked, it was, "anything but country". Yeah, I was one of those guys.
Little by little, I had been getting more into country. My taste has begun to evolve from solely enjoying the ever-entertaining Florida Georgia Line and Lady Antebellum to getting into more traditional country. At first glance, the Route 91 Lineup looked promising, so I decided to go.
Friday, September 29, 2017:
Eric Church, he likes drinking. He has a song called "Drink in My Hand". Seems like my kind of guy. Lee Brice, also likes to talk about beer. Midland, who's biggest hit is "Drinking Problem". I was sold on the Friday lineup. My wife is fanatical, so we were in the pit, with all the other sweaty, smelly, and intoxicated folk. That was not a great time, but the concert was good. Good food, good music, good time.
Saturday, September 30, 2017:
We again found ourselves in the pit area, but I pleaded to walk around more, after being stepped on and bumped into by numerous "hydrated" attendees. My patience was wearing thin. I'm protective by nature and was getting very annoyed with the women in our group being shoved by rude concert-goers. Sam Hunt had the women (and some men) going crazy and it was overall a good day. I had a brick of curly fries, what's better than that (I'm now on a Ketogenic diet).
Sunday, October 1, 2017:
There wasn't a chance in hell I'd be in the main pit again for the third day in a row. I got my wish and we set up camp closer to the food trucks (the north side of the fairgrounds). We could sit in the turf, see the stage, and enjoy the concert and each other, without being irritated by the other people attending. Kane Brown was awesome, Luke Combs is a beast, and then Jake Owen did a great set as the second-to-last act. That song "Beachin" is my jam.
After three full days of concert-going, we were ready to head out a little early by about 9:00 on Sunday night. We still wanted to hear some of the final headliner's set, so we stuck around to listen to Jason Aldean and his "Dirt Road Anthems". Our vehicles were parked at Mandalay Bay, so we started to head closer to the pit (south) when Aldean went on stage. We didn't join the crowd, but chose to stand about 25-30 feet from the back of the main pack.
Our exact location, moments before the gunshots.
He sounded good, the crowd was getting into the set and after a few songs, fireworks started going off. The first round of fireworks or firecrackers were mostly covered by Aldean's singing and music. We were confused by the noise, but thought little of it. They kept playing and then louder sounds began. These were not firecrackers or fireworks, these were ammunition rounds.
Aldean darted from the stage, people hit the ground, and panic set it. Our friends just left, five minutes prior to the beginning of the gunshots. They exited west, toward the Mandalay Bay, to get their cars. My wife and I decided to run at a lull in the noise of the gunshots and made our way to a west exit, but we instructed back in by a CSC Security team member.
As we ran to the exit, I looked over my shoulder and saw a water bottle shoot up in the air, with nobody around it. These shots were coming from above. Thank you Call of Duty for that training.
From there, we took refuge in a House of Blues bar, the most solid building in sight. It was the safest option after being stopped at the exit to the Strip.
Another lull in the noise, another chance to run.
We made our way east, behind some aluminum-sided trailers. I tried to get people to stay calm, not make noise, and not draw attention to our new hiding spot in the event there were shooters on the ground.
Another lull, another dart east.
We made it out of the fairgrounds and then I saw what was going on. People were bleeding, people were screaming, people were crying. We ran to the Tropicana, at the same time trying to reach our recently-departed friends. Were they hurt? Did they get out safely? We didn't know.
From the Tropicana, we elected to go further east, to the Hooters Casino and Hotel. It was quiet, it felt safe, and we found our friends there. Those friends were also pushed back in and instructed to head east. We were all safe for the moment, all alive. We watched the news at a bar, text messages flying in. Our friends knew we were there and my Instagram post still freaks me out to this day. I have photos of Aldean on stage, just minutes, seconds before the gunshots began.
10 Likes, 2 Comments - J.Paul - Vegas Golden Knights (@hockeybuzz_vegas) on Instagram: "Some photos and videos from #route91harvestfestival2017 before the shooting. Kind of scary looking..."
We finally were allowed/felt safe enough to leave the Hooters around 5am. We saw news reports of an overhead shooter, at the Mandalay Bay, being detained or deceased. It was quiet and our friend's sweet, amazing parents who I love to death - George and Lisa Lawes - both came down to get us. We walked down Tropicana to Koval, the closest they could get to the area and were finally headed home. Thank God we were safe and sound.
September 27, 2019:
I get an email from the Vegas Golden Knights' communications team about a #VegasStronger event they will be holding on October 1, for First Responders and select concert survivors. In the past, I have been hesitant to do anything involving the concert tragedy. Even the name 1 October triggered me. Why make it a thing? Why keep bringing it up? I was resentful.
When the email came through, I decided to go to the event, as a media member, and show support for the people less lucky than we were. The event was a closed practice for those affected, followed by a nice lunch with the players at Mackenzie River after the skate.
October 1, 2019:
Following practice, but before lunch, we had a chance to talk to the players, as usual, and many had wonderful things to say about the city, their involvement following the horrific night, and more. Instead of hearing about the past, I chose to speak with youngster Nic Hague, who just left Vegas' camp, a few days before the shooting occurred.
"I wasn't in the city for it, so I can't even begin to imagine what it was like, but those men and women over there (first responders/survivors) are special people and we owe them a lot."
-Nic Hague
I'm glad I got the chance to hear Hague's thoughts, along with Ben Gotz (@BenSGotz on Twitter) of the Las Vegas Review-Journal, before Hague's AHL demotion later that evening. Side note: I'm very, very short within that trio of men!
This franchise just gets it. They know how to engage the community and the fanbase. They seem to really appreciate their city and their community, rightfully so, because without them there'd be no team.
Once we made it to lunch, Jesse Gomez from the Clark County Fire Department was available for comments. Mr. Gomez recounted his mindset that night and how it has changed him and his guys in the days, months, and years following the event. He even mentioned how he won't wear sandals, opting instead for sneakers at big events or concerts.
"You look at things a little different, events you go to, and how you can get out.....I think normalcy is there (now), but it's always in the back of my mind."
Soon the players began to arrive, clean and changed into their #VegasStronger shirts, and met with the survivors and First Responders. Jonathan Marchessault and William Karlsson were popular guys, with many guests looking to get photos with two of the original Golden Knights.
Wild Bill and Marchy were more than happy to pose.
After the event, I chose to speak to Lindsey Brown, of CBS Sports Radio 1140, about the shooting, the Golden Knights' event, and how I have come around since that long, horrifying night. Check it out below and also look out for our hockey talk, which should be out by the time the Golden Knights host the Sharks on Wednesday evening.
Thankfully, none of us were injured and we didn't lose family members. My heart goes out to those who lost people close to them. My heart goes out to my friends who were affected by the event while working in the medical, law enforcement, and service/hospitality fields. This event affected more people than you could imagine, all in their own ways. Be kind to others. Be sensitive to their struggle. Be compassionate. Be #VegasStronger!
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