The iconic lights of the Las Vegas strip are to be extinguished, as the city gets set to honour the victims of the deadliest mass shooting in United States history, reports USA Today.
Las Vegas will go dark tonight (Monday 1 October) at 10:01 pm local time (Tuesday 2 October, 06:01 am British Summer Time), in remembrance of the 58 people that lost their lives at an open-air country music festival, that saw in excess of 400 other individuals wounded as bullets reigned down from a high-rise hotel room window.
It has also been reported that flags across Nevada will fly at half-mast, whilst the states’ Governor Brian Sandoval, who stated “The people of Nevada will never forget this tragic day, and hold the victims of the Route 91 Harvest Music Festival in their thoughts and prayers,” will also speak at a sunrise ceremony that will observe 58 seconds of silence.
Confirming the Clark County and Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department co-hosted free event, it also also detailed that speakers set to join Sandoval at the remembrance ceremony are Sheriff Joe Lombardo, Clark County Commission Chairman Steve Sisolak and Mynda Smith, the sister of Neysa Tonks, one of the 58 who tragically lost their lives.
Whilst further details by the Clark County Government Center stated that “the remembrance will include 58 seconds of silence, a multi-agency honour guard, music from The Academy Singers from the Las Vegas Academy of the Arts, and the release of 58 doves.
“Those in attendance also may view the Las Vegas Portraits Project, an exhibit of portraits of the 58 victims who lost their lives in the attack, along with crosses that were erected at the Welcome to Las Vegas sign last year, and ‘The Art of Healing Mural’ in the adjacent Rotunda Gallery.”
One year ago thousands attended the Route 91 Harvest Festival, with the concert plunged into terror as Stephen Paddock opened fire from the 32nd floor of the nearby Mandalay Bay Hotel and Casino.
During the ten minutes Paddock fired down into the crowd, it’s said that over 1,000 rounds of ammunition had been used.
After a ten month investigation Joe Lombardo, the Clark County Sheriff, announced a motive could not be determined, while the FBI continues to try and find one.
