is cnn breaking news. >> if you're just joining us, 3:00 a.m. in the morning here on the east coast. midnight in las vegas. and we're following breaking news from las vegas, nevada right now. multiple people have been wounded after a shooting on the strip near the mandalay bay casino. we're also told that police may be moving toward the bellagio. we have not confirmed any fatalities yet. but definitely there have been people taken to local hospitals there. we're also told that mccarron airport has stopped all flights in and out of the airport there

in las vegas. and there you see right there the response from s.w.a.t. teams working this story. >> now it is unclear if there is more than one shooter. we've heard on our affiliates the possibility of two shooters. there was even talk of multiple. we have no confirmation of that at this point. witnesses attending a music concert nearby say they heard multiple gunshots. now we're also learning, as natalie just mentioned, that flights in and out of mccarron international airport have been halted, clearly to make sure if anyone linked to this shooting tries to get away. so there is no exit at this point. but the police are trying to control this situation. it is chaotic at this hour. it is terrifying for so many people who have relayed their eyewitness reports to us. >> las vegas police are now confirming that one shooter is down. they have sent out a tweet indicating that. we had unconfirmed reports in the past hour that a shooter may

have been dead in a hotel room. but there it is right there, confirming that one suspect is down. this is an active investigation. again, please do not head down to the strip at this time. and we have been seeing hundreds, if not more people getting out of that area as this concert was in its final night. it was a three-day concert there outside mandalay bay. >> and the frustration here, of course. we have not heard any officials out discussing what is happening here. and clearly because this is such an active situation. but so many people very concerned about what is happening with their loved ones who may be caught in the middle of this. this happening at the mandalay bay hotel and casino. these shots ringing out. rapid-fire in the midst of this route 91 harvest festival. and we know at this point multiple reports of injuries and casualties. we don't know the details.

again there is so much that is not known. a lot that of is because we're relying on just some of these tweets coming from the police. >> earlier we spoke with a witness, brian heifner who is staying at a hotel across from mandalay bay. he told us what he was seeing and hearing. >> i didn't see much. mostly i heard the shots. just so many shots. i just thought it was a semi braking, with the air brakes. er but then i went downstairs and saw people running and looking for family. and i immediately went back to my room, locked the door, turned the lights off. directly at my window, you can see the mandalay bay, and it overlooks the concert venue. so i'm pretty much staying in my room with the doors locked and the lights off. i'm hearing that there is more shots going on at the bellagio right now. so this is all up and down the strip at all the hotels.

so i'm not sure what all hotels are being affected. but i think a lot of them are having shooters at the moment. >> you're talking about you're feeling that there are multiple sites with active shooters? we heard possible reference to that a little earlier, but no confirmation. what do you think is the situation with that? >> right now down the strip, you can see all the cop cars, the police officers heading towards the bellagio. they're all going from the mandalay bay right now literally passing tropicana, heading towards the bellagio, where they just had more reports of an active shooter. >> and what's your sense? with the shots that you witnessed, where did you think those shots came from? did you feel they came from high up, another floor, many floors above you? >> i mean, in vegas, all the concrete and the echoes, i couldn't really tell.

it took me a minute to even realize they were shots. you are just not used to hearing that. >> yeah, and bryan, give us a sense for people that don't know las vegas. where is the bellagio in relation to mandalay bay? or are they in close vicinity of each other? >> walking distance. i would say within a half a mile. the blocks seem a lot bigger, larger here. i would say a half a mile. i just arrived today. i just got to my room, probably within 30 minutes of this happening. >> oh my goodness. are you in contact with anybody at the hotel? you chose to turn off the lights, lock the doors, stay in. are you getting any kind of direction from the hotel? or do you get a sense that it's that it's been evacuated for most part?

>> no. when i stepped out of the room, i'm fairly on a lower floor. when i stepped out to see what was going on, everybody was heading to their rooms to kind of stay safe. the actual casino lobby was chaos. and my windows actually look out on to the strip. i can see what is going on if i want to, but i'm staying away from them. i closed the shutters. >> thoughts, as we work our way through this problem. once i have more information to come back, we'll come back and give you that information at that time. but as now we do have one suspect down, and we want people to steer clear of the area. thank you. >> still looking for anybody else? >> all right. just listening there to the police in las vegas. as he was saying there, one suspect down. we understand two people are dead. 26 wounded. and of those 2612 are in critical condition. and of those 26 two in addition

died. we're going to go back to the reporter for ktnv. let's listen in. >> this is still a very active scene. i asked real quickly as the sergeant left if there were still any outstanding suspects, if anything sells going on. they don't want to release any more information going on. also, they say they're real appreciative of the public coming out to help, but for now they're asking folks to stay' way. they have their hands full dealing what is in front of them. they don't want to worry about other folks coming in and getting in the way who have good intentions. >> we will give you more updates as more information. >> i think you could probably -- >> to watch this unfold, especially in our city. hopefully we're prepared. it seems like they're doing a great job. it's just -- got bless anyone that has been affect beside i this there is going to be a lot of wounded. i'm a registered nurse specialized in emergency medicine. and i can really sympathize for this. it's going a long couple of days for the folks of this town.

>> i'm hearing that there is every single resource out here when it comes to first responders. as a nurse, what are you thinking at this point? >> it's -- this is what we do best. what's going to happen is everyone pulls together. it's a well ironed machine here. everyone is going to do a great job. we need to pull together. that's the city does and all the hospitals are going to come together. we're going to make sure everyone gets the best care. it's just going to be a long night. >> and you're obviously feeling better that your brother has express head is okay? >> 100%. it's the first thing i did. he is shaken up. he is a tough kid. tougher than i am most definitely. >> how old is he? >> 24 years old. >> you don't want the see people going through something like this. >> no, not at such a young age there are people of all age downs here. it's a traumatic experience that noun is going to forget. >> can you describe anything else he said as highway he has been in there? >> he said it's pure chaos. he said police and law enforcement are doing a good job of trying to keep everybody

calm. they're doing a good job telling them to stay down, stay safe. they're making sure everything is very safe and secure before they're attempting to move anybody. you can hear some shouting and screaming in the background. people are definitely scared. but it seems like they're doing a hell of a job. >> okay. thank you so much, cody. again, we're going to turn around here and show you what is happening behind us. we are right by the harley-davidson motorcycle dealership, right south of russell road, south of mandalay bay here. and you can just see all the resources out here. you know, when we left that area, we saw groups of police, s.w.a.t. teams moving in that direction. it looks like it's going to be a long night out here. i'll send it back to you in the studio. >> indeed, all right, christy. stand by. we're going to be checking in with you in just a bit. >> all right. listening there to ksnv. before that to klas. these are all our affiliates bringing us reports on the ground there in the aftermath of this las vegas strip shooting. we heard from the las vegas

metropolitan police department just a few minutes ago. one suspect dead. 24 bound wounded. 12 of those people in critical condition. no confirmation whether there is any another shooter involved with this. again, if you are just now joining us, we haven't said this in a while. the witnesses were telling reporter there's on the scene that the shooter was shooting from a high floor from a hotel out on to this open concert three-day concert. a crowd of people there, thousands of people there. >> yeah, this route 91 harvest festival is where this happened. we want to listen again to an eyewitness report. >> after a little bit, they of the people, customers were running toward the become of the casino, toward the garage.

what was going through your head at that time? >> i said something is going on, something big. and you saw s.w.a.t. running through with shotguns and all kinds of stuff. and they told us bring the lids up. they went around and locked all the lids. they said get out, everybody go to the shark reef. >> everyone said hit the floor. so everyone was literally laying on top of each other, trying to get out of the way. the shots just kept coming. so we were going down. and hen we got down, there was a man that was shot right there. they were trying to take him out. he was all bloody, and he was unconscious. and one of my friends was helping him out. and they got him out. and we ran. and everybody is hiding everywhere. i mean they're hiding under the bleachers and the stanchions and anywhere they could. and everyone is telling us to run, run as fast as you can. my husband and i ran out toward our car.

and there were people hiding underneath my car for cover. and there was a gentleman that was shot. and he said can you help me? and so i put him in my car, and i had six people in my car. people without shoes running, just to get away. >> you're so strong. and christine, we talked about before you came on camera how you just tried to scramble and help people as best as you could. could you talk about you had your vehicle. and you knew you had to get them help. >> we had a gal that was with this couple that the guy had been shot in the back, or in the back side. and i thought he was going to be okay, but he was bleeding. so he wasn't as serious to shove him into the ambulance that was right there. so i took him in my car. and she said can i drive? because she worked for metro. and we got to the hospital so quick, you wouldn't believe it. but anyway, she drove. and i went to sunrise hospital.

and my husband went in another car with another man that was unconscious to umc. and i'm here right now because he's in there with my friend whose daughter is only 18. and she got shot. >> and that is absolutely tragic. and we appreciate your bravery, i'm just trying to get in the hospital. that is a struggle. when you came here, you were trying to get into the people w.h. who you knew. what were you told and why? >> an officer said that they're just taking precaution. so, you know, i mean, they're there are crazy people out there. they shot into a crowd of 30,000 people in a concert. it's insane. as i don't . >> as you reflect on this terrible event, what sticks out right now? >> i want to be with my family. thank you. >> so many stories like that. 30,000 people at this event.

and helpless. >> terrifying eyewitness account there. that was on klas again, our affiliate. and clearly, she is in shock. >> absolutely. thank goodness she is. because look what she just witnessed. and to have the wherewithal to get people and put in her car, it is just incredible. we've got a tweet from the mayor of las vegas, from carolyn goodman saying pray for las vegas. thank you to all of our first responders out there now. and she told us the number, 30,000 people. >> at this concert. >> and they were just targets because someone at a high level was firing shots. earlier, rosemary someone told us hundreds of shots. >> and this rapid-fire that was coming. and we heard from the las vegas metropolitan police department one suspect is dead. we don't know how many suspects were involved. it was thought that there were perhaps two, possibly multiple

suspects. we don't know at this point. but we do know and have confirmation from the police department there that one suspect is dead. we also know that 24 people were wounded. two people have died as a result of their wounds. and 12 of the 24 wounded so far are in critical condition. this of course and the aftermath of this terrifying las vegas strip shooting. >> and these are the early numbers because this is a story we've been working for just over an hour now. and you got to think where did all those 30,000 people go. how are they in this venue assessing who is okay? who can still be hiding? that witness there saying people were hiding under her car, trying to get anywhere they could go. you can just imagine. what a horrific ordeal there for these people and for all the responders there trying to make sure everyone is safe and getting the help they need. >> it is tear fight. it is still an active situation here. there is no sense that this has been brought to any form of closure.

and the worry for all of these people, as i don't say, natalie, 30,000 people at that concert. where have they gone? they're worried. people don't know exactly what's happening. we're just going on the information we're getting just in the tweets. we just heard from the las vegas metropolitan police there giving some updates on the numbers of people. but we still don't know what the situation is. we know that the international airport there has been closed. no flights coming in. no flights going out. also, we've heard the witnesses say that at first it sounded like, you know, firecrackers. if you're in a situation like this, you probably can't comprehend, wait a minute, this is someone shooting at us. we've been going on the website for the harvest 91 three-day festival and looking at all the different performers there. no word who was on the stage, if there was more than one stage. but these are things that we'll

continue to look into as our team here at cnn tries to find more answers. we'll take a break. much more coverage of this breaking news story out of las vegas in just a moment. hi, i'm the internet! you know what's difficult?

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we continue to follow breaking news from las vegas, nevada. the university medical center in las vegas has confirmed two people are dead after a mass shooting on the strip near the mandalay bay casino. >> at least 24 others are wounded, some in critical condition. and witnesses attending a music concert nearby say they heard multiple bursts of rapid-fire gunshots. we have this social media footage we want to show to you. but just a warning, it is unnerving and disturbing. ♪ [ gunshots ]

>> that's gunshots. >> oh my god! get down, get down. stay down. >> let's go. let's go. [ gunshots ] >> get down, get down! down! [ gunshots ] >> stay down! [ gunshots ]

[ screaming ] >> hey, hey. >> come here, come here. >> behind the stand. >> watching that terrifying, terrifying. >> oh, my gosh, the sound. the sound of the shots. >> three times. and you can tell the people were just in shock at first. the person performing still singing. >> didn't realize what was happening. >> and we still don't know what all was going on, where they were going, how they were getting away. that's the first we've seen and heard these shots that were coming. you can hear it, just the rapid-fire. stops, starts again, stops and starts again. and slowly people start to scream. >> 30,000 people gathered there. totally vulnerable to whoever is

like sniper fire, is there with this rapid-fire. so we're watching there. that social media video, that was coming from drew akioshi. you can see toward the end of it, drew obviously decided to move off. it takes a while in a situation like that for people to understand what is going on. and as we saw there, the performer didn't really know what was happening. >> right. you never really know because it's surreal. you just don't expect something like this. look at the ambulances lined up. we've been hearing as we've been covering the story for over an hour now that they used every ambulance in the area to try and help people. again, the number of those injured and hurt, 26 people -- >> no, two people dead. 24 wounded, and 12 of those 24 in critical condition. of course, with don't know ewhat the situation is going to be. let's watch there is some more

social media video coming in to us. and we're sharing it with you again. we do need to warn you that this is very disturbing. all of this is very disturbing, as we watch it and bring it to you. [ gunshots ] >> get down. >> you're okay. >> people staying down there as they heard more shots there. you can hear them saying "stay down, stay down" as they slowly realize what is going on. we're going to be talking with the reporter from the "las vegas sun." do we have that reporter yet? mick is your name. okay, mick, let's go to you now. what do you know? what are you hearing about this situation? mick ackers, thank you.

>> they have it all blocked up on the strip just past the las vegas sign here. just talked to lat of eyewitnesses. apparently pandemonium. one guy was saying on the 32nd floor. and unconfirmed. that's where apparently within of the shooters was at. he said he was woken up around 10:00, 10:15 to hundreds of shots and he smelled gunpowder and all that. so he waited it out a few minutes, called the front desk, and a couple of minutes later metro police came out and esc t escorted everyone out. people were at the scene, heard the ricochet, and they're all hitting the floor. it's a crazy scene. >> yeah, mick, you said one of the shooters. are you hearing anything from police about what do they think -- we know one shooter is dead -- that there could be more? >> nothing is confirmed. everyone is just reporting stuff off scanners. so i didn't really want to talk about anything like that. still waiting to be officially

briefed. still waiting at the briefing. still haven't spoke with the official pio yet. >> so, mick, are people being told what to do in the aftermath of this terrifying incident? the shooting at this concert? what are people being told to do? >> as far as anyone got escorted off. tons of people just walking south on the strip past the las vegas sign. a lot of people are kind of hanging out around here. it seems where a lot of cops have gathered. so i guess they feel safe over here. >> earlier there was a report that police officers were heading to the bellagio. do you know anything about that? >> yeah. i haven't heard anything official on that. a lot of people are probably listening to the scanners. so i don't want to speculate anything. >> so, mick, is there a sense that this is at the mandalay bay

and casino. is it restricted the that area? is that what you understand? >> yeah, pretty much everything i heard, there was multiple sites. like i said, nothing confirmed. but i heard multiple sites. >> with multiple shooters? >> that's correct. >> oh my goodness. and so now we've just heard from the police have updated everyone, saying that one suspect is dead. they've confirmed that. 24 people wounded. two people dead who had been taken to hospital. and we understand 12 of the 24 in critical condition. are you learning any more about those people who are wounded? and just how bad the injuries are? >> no, nothing yet. i guess they're having a briefing here coming up pretty soon that i actually should get down to. so i'm going to have to cut the

show and get to my vehicle here. >> totally understand. mick akers with "the las vegas sun." we appreciate you talking with us. we know you're very busy working this story. >> yeah, thank you. you guys have a great night. >> thank you so much, mick. and just going over what we know so far, the las vegas metropolitan police have updated people. there hasn't been a lot of official word. but we do know one suspect is dead. two people have been killed in the midst of this shooting in las vegas on the strip there. 24 people are wounded. they're in hospital. 12 of them are in critical condition. we have shown you the very disturbing social media that just shows this rapid-fire. now, we've got jean casarez standing by. jean, tell us what you're learning about this situation. because we're not really getting a lot of guidance from officials except for updates on these numbers of casualties.

>> well, let me tell you what we are seeing and what we're hearing. we are about one mile away from where all of this is happening. and it's right behind me right here. and we are seeing ambulances continuing to go into the scene. we're seeing ambulances come out of the scene. we are seeing police cars at a high rate of speed going into the scene right there. so obviously this is a very active situation that is going on. we're also hearing, just as you had that the university medical center, i was just told by the public information officer on scene is the level one trauma center here in las vegas. and that is where victims are being taken there is a level 2 trauma center in las vegas, sunset where victims are also being taken. right now i'm hearing more sirens in the distance. as you have said, one suspect is down there. are two deceased confirmed at this point. there are 26 wounded and 12 critical. but i can tell you from what we

are hearing and what you are hearing, mass hysteria. route 91, a country concert taking place outside. and we've heard from appeared to be just shot after shot rapid-fire. mass hysteria. people down, people being told to take cover, to run for their lives. and so right now i think the emotions are still very high as they're continuing to really get the facts here of exactly what is happening, what has happened, and if there are any more shooters that need to be contained at this point. >> earlier, jean, we heard from a woman who was in shock what she witnessed, describing people that she was pulling into her car, who had been shot, trying to get them to the hospital. as you say, so many police officers responding from so many jurisdictions. ambulances everywhere. and we really don't know if all the people that may have been injured, hurt, or worse have

been all accounted for. because there were what, is it about 30,000 people at that concert? >> huge. and there were so many people. just as you were speaking right now, another ambulance just came down the las vegas strip from scene, had its lights on as soon as it went through the intersection, its sirens went on. but obviously that ambulance, and here we have another emergency vehicle that is coming. i think you're looking at it right now. the lights are on. siren is not on. and this would be a police highway patrol, california highway patrol vehicle coming out of the scene right now. many emergency vehicles on the scene. but i think it's significant that an ambulance coming out of the scene right now with its lights on. obviously appearing to transport someone at this point. >> and jean, as this unfolds, it is a chaotic situation. people don't have a lot of

information. and of course what happens then is there is a lot of chatter. people are listening to scanners. they're getting various reports. we're hearing of the possibility of multiple sites with active shooters. what information are you getting on that? >> and i want to interrupt you because you're looking at live pictures. this is another ambulance coming out of the scene right now. i'm looking in that ambulance. i see them working on someone as they pass by. i was able to see that those emergency technicians were crouched down. they appear to be huddling together, working on someone. so there are still apparently it appears to be victims at the scene that are continuing to be transported at this point from the las vegas strip to one of the trauma centers here in las vegas. >> that's unreal. jean casarez, thank you so much for being there. we'll stay in close contact with you since obviously this is a very, very active, ongoing situation there in las vegas. we're going the take a quick

break. much more for you right after this. hey you've gotta see this. c'mon.

no. alright, see you down there. mmm, fine. okay, what do we got? okay, watch this. do the thing we talked about. what do we say? it's going to be great. watch. remember what we were just saying?

go irish! see that? yes! i'm gonna just go back to doing what i was doing. find your awesome with the xfinity x1 voice remote. we want to welcome back our viewers here in the united states, and of course all around the world. rosemary church and natalie allen here. we've been covering this for over an hour now. and we just want to relay to you here the las vegas metropolitan police department has tweeted this. "at this time we do not belief there are any more shooters. more information to come shortly." they will actually hold a presser. so we know there has been confirmation of one suspect dead. we hope that that means this is the end of it. . that would be such very good news. because as you can see they're still working the scene. they're still looking for victims.

they're still taking them to hospital. as the story has been unfolding. if you're just joining, just a reminder, a shooter somewhere at an upper-level perhaps at the mandalay hotel, which was overlooking a very popular concert called harvest 91. 30,000 people there at the end of this three-day concert. and slowly realizing. we'll show the disturbing social media video ein just a moment. you'll hear the audio of just horrendous as people slowly realize what was unfolding. let's go back to -- all right. so let's go to that social media right now. and, again, we warn you, the audio is extremely disturbing. ♪ [ gunshots ]

>> gunshots. that's gunshots! >> oh my god! get down, get down. stay down. [ gunshots ] >> get down, get down. get down! >> and then it happens one more time. you hear a pause, and then so many more rounds occur again. as people slowly realizing that they are targets of a shooter. >> that's right. because at moments like that, you think it might be fireworks, as part of the performance. and we saw the performer there. was not sure what was happening. and a lot of people, when they realized suddenly, you hear that moment where they realize this -- >> yeah. >> this is a very dangerous situation. >> university medical center in las vegas has confirmed two

people are dead. 24 wounded, 12 in critical condition. but since we've gotten those numbers, our reporter jean casarez who is live there in las vegas has seen more ambulances come by and more victims in the ambulances being rushed to hospital. she is here with two more people who witnessed this. hello, jean. jean, go ahead. >> we do have some witnesses that were part of the crowd of that country music festival, monique and rachel. they're sisters. they're here with her husbands from canada. but they were eyewitnesss to what was happening in that country music concert. first of all, rachel, you're listening to the music, and all of the sudden you begin the hear what? >> we actually heard -- it sound like a glass breaking. so you looked around to see what was going on. and seconds later you hear a pop, pop, pop. and you think it's fireworks and someone starting off a pfeiffer cracker. and at the same second you realized no, it's not.

it's gunfire. >> where was it coming from? the mandalay bay son one side of the strip, and you're saying that the concert was on the other side of the strip. next to the tropicana, basically. so where were the shots coming from with your vanity the age point? >> we were on the left-hand of the stage. we were really really close. the first person we knew that was injured was on the right of the stage, right in front of the stage. and it sounded like the shots were coming over from the right side where the mandalay circumstances so coming across the street to where you were? >> they sound like they were right beside us too. it sounded like it was somebody in the crowd. i don't know how far gunshots, the noise travels. but it was like right there. like it was -- >> so monique, what did people start to do when this started to happen? >> instantly everyone crouched and went to the ground and then it stopped. then you stood up again. and the band was raurvushed off stage.

the flood lights come on. and you see to the right-hand the person who is injured. they're calling for a paramedic, calling for security, and then there is gunfire again, and now we're running again. >> we stayed crouched for quite a while. it was like there was a pause in the gunfire. and then it looked like, i don't know, in my eyes, the people in the yellow shirts were telling everybody to go, go, go, go. and we all went to the left. like where there is like a huge parking lot -- well, not right away. because we had to get through all the fencing and all the craziness. but the whole time we were rung, the gunfire never ended it seemed like. it went on and on and on. and you're like what the hell? where are the cops? how is this happening right now. >> but it appears as though there was a pause in the gunfire and then it started again? >> there always was a pause. i thought maybe reloading a gun or whatever he was doing. you think for a minute, okay, we're fine there is no more gunfire you. stop for a second. and then it starts again. so you keep running and running.

>> you get down. you're running through gunfire. and you're like by the time we got into that -- so like where the tropicana, sorry, the tropicana and then the festival is, there is a huge, like, parking lot. and there was a like a refinery back there. and we were just running and ducking in between vehicles, under, behind with gunshot. we just ran and ran. we kept going. and we just headed south. and we ended up at mcdonald's. and then we crossed. and we thought -- we wanted to get back to our hotel. so we thought we would get through the mandalay and go through there. but then we got to the mandalay, and a security officer or girl told us to leave because a shooter was in there. they had him in a room up there. but for whatever reason we didn't really listen to her. >> did you see people getting shot? >> i didn't see anyone getting shot. but i saw someone who had been

injured. so after she had been shot -- or he had been shot. but i didn't see it actually happen. it just was the after effect of them calling for medics and calling for security, we need help over here. >> how did you find out it was shots you were hearing? >> not right away. >> we didn't find out until -- we went to the mandalay. we left the mandalay. we crossed the street back over to mcdonald's. we were in mcdonald's. then the security guy came rushing through there, and everybody left mcdonald's. and then we went like down to the harley-davidson. and we saw cops. and they said where is it safe for us to go. he said just keep walking like south. so we walked to the harley place. and we're told to stay there because there was a bus coming. so we hid behind the big harley-davidson concrete. we all took a letter and behind behind it. then we were there and told to leave there and keep going and we ended up here. >> we want to thank you for join

us. we're glad you're safe. and i know you've been through an experience that is still ongoing right now. i'm going the hand it back to you. but this is some eyewitness accounts. two of our visitors from canada of what they endured tonight at that country music concert. >> jean casarez, thank you so much. we'll be back to you in just a moment. but we have some more social media video that we want to share with our viewers. and again, a warning. all of this very disturbing. [ gunshots ] >> [ bleep ] get down. get down. [ bleep ]. >> babe, you're okay. i swear. we can't go yet. we can't go yet. >> [ bleep ]. [ gunshots ]

>> you can tell, they're just crouching there. they don't know where it's coming from. they can't get out. they're told to lay low there. and just to hear the rapidity of that fire. and it came three times. pausing, and then again. pausing and then again. >> and as we heard from the eyewitness reports, the ladies who were talking with jean, they felt like it would never end. and there is that. you can see people there crouching, not knowing where it's coming from and when it's going to end. let's go back to jean casarez again there in las vegas. so jean, you have another eyewitness report. what's being said? >> yes. this is joe. he was also at the country music concert. so jason aldean was in the midst of performing. what did you initially hear? and what was the reaction to that huge crowd? >> well, we were watching the concert from the east side of the stage. and we heard a succession of

pops. and i mean, unbelievably, it sounded like fireworks. but as they kept rattling off, then we realized something was up. and most of the crowd started to duck down a bit. and jason aldean actually turned around and ran off the stage. and that's when we realized that we were in -- something bad was going on. so actually everybody in the crowd actually got down, which was unbelievable, just to watch that. and everybody was staying safe and low. and the succession of fire arms going off, just kept going over and over in groups of ten. i'd say we heard 50 or 60 minimum when we were all down. and then people started stampeding -- were going to start stampeding to go toward the main exit -- or the main entrance, which was this way. and we all stayed low. and we went out the east. and we went that way. and people were climbing the fences, pushing their way

through. the barricades were coming down. people were screaming, crying. everybody was trying to get out. >> how did everyone go down? was it a domino effect or did somebody say hit the ground? >> absolutely domino effect. some of the people who were keeping level headed were saying get down, get down. and everyone seemed to be responding well to that. no panic ensued to start. everybody was just down. and then everybody started stampeding towards the main gate. like i say, we went east. because you could hear the gunshots coming off -- that would be west from the mandalay bay. you could definitely see that's where it was from. and it did look like -- i mean, i don't know for sure. it did look like somebody was down in the crowd on the west side. i can't confirm that. but, you know, it's like they were screaming for medics to come and panicking. so that's what we saw that way. that's why we decided to go east. >> did you hear the gunshots pause and then start up again? >> oh, yeah. like they were loading clips, absolutely. and the weirdest turn of events

is we went east. went down a block or two. and came back up, and we went back to the mandalay bay where the gunman was, apparently. and then we were inside. and the casino was like a -- it was ghost town there is nobody in there. and one of the security ladies came up and told us to leave. and we still kind of didn't want to go the way she was saying to go. so we walked away from her and kept going through the casino and we ran into another fellow, and he said hey, get going. the gunman is in the building. just a weird turn of events that we walked back there. and then we came this way. unbelievable. >> mass hysteria? is that what you would call the reaction as it kept going? >> it would be. luckily, the way we went, there was less traffic going to the east. but everybody was panicking, of course, girls screaming. people fainting on the ground. running, you know, i've never been around something like that. so, yeah. >> i know it's hard to judge

time. but how long would you say the gunshots continued to go off? >> minutes. i bet it was minutes, easy. honestly, i bet i heard 100 to 130 shots. and that's not counting. just in successions of 10 like a clip. >> all right, joe. thank you for joining us. you went through something that i'm sure you will not soon forget. and the scene is continuing as we've been talking. we have seen and heard more ambulances going by. we're right on the las vegas strip. we're about a mile away from where it all began, where it all happened. mandalay bay hotel across the route 91 country music concert with jason aldean that was in progress, talking to eyewitnesses that were in the midst of the thousands of people at this concert tonight. and we're continuing to see exactly what the totals are at this point. back to you. >> and jason aldean was able to get off the stage, that correct, jean? as far as you're hearing?

>> it appears -- i don't think with these eyewitnesses they can confirm. he was told to get off the stage, but he apparently immediately left. so probably someone said to get off, yes. >> all right. jean casarez, thank you so much for your eyewitness reports, bringing them to our viewers near the united states, and all across the world. and that is the thing. jean, we are waiting for a police briefing at this point. and we see a tweet here, the latest tweet says at this time, we do not believe there are any more shooters. more information to come shortly at that police briefing. we know that's it been confirmed one suspect is dead. we don't like to make any assumptions. but it's possible maybe from that tweet to assume that this is the end of the actual shooting. but not the end of trying to go

in and recover and rescue people. >> we just heard her interviewing three people. it's amazing what they've been through. they can stand there and recount what they witnessed calmly. earlier, a witness described the moment when police arrived on the scene as well as the terrifying moments when they were trying to help those injured. here she is. >> all of the people, customers were running toward the back of the casino, toward the garage. >> what was going through your head at this point? >> well, i said something is going on. something big. and then you saw s.w.a.t. coming running through with shotguns and all kinds of stuff. and they told us bring the lids up. and they went around and locked up all the lids and said get out. get out. everybody go to the shark reef. >> it's like everyone said "hit the floor." so everyone was literally laying on top of each other, trying to get out of the way. the shots just kept coming. and so we were going down.

and when we got down, there was a man that was shot right there. they were trying to take him out. he was all bloody, and he was unconscious. and one of my friends was helping him out. and they got him out. and we ran. and everybody is hiding everywhere. i mean, they're hiding under the bleachers and the stanchions and everywhere they could. and everyone is telling us to run, run as fast as you. my husband and i ran out toward our car. and there were people hiding underneath my car for cover. and there was a gentleman that was shot. and he said can you help me? so i put him in my car. and i had six people in my car, people without sure, running. just to get away. >> now, you're so strong. and christine, we talked about before you came on camera how you just tried to scramble and help people as best as you could. could you talk about you had

your vehicle. and you knew you had to get them help. >> we had a gal that was with this couple that the guy had been shot in the back, or in the back side. and i thought he was going to be okay, but he was bleeding. so he wasn't as serious to shove him into the ambulance that was right there. so i took him in my car. she said can i drive, because she worked for metro. and we got to the hospital to quick, you wouldn't believe it. but anyway, she drove. and i went to sunrise hospital. and my husband went in another car with another man that was unconscious to umc. and i'm here right now because he's in there. with my friend whose daughter is only 18, and she got shot. >> that woman helping people. and she was going through it as well. we have an epidemic in this country of mass shootings. but i don't -- can't recall we've had tens of thousands of people perhaps at a concert that

were just laying there, lying there vulnerable to this shooter. >> absolutely. and of course, we've been talking about this video. i want to bring to it you again. this first social media video that we showed our viewers. and again, a warning, it is disturbing. ♪ [ gunshots ] >> gunshots. that's gunshots! >> oh my god! get down, get down. stay down. [ gunshots ] >> get down. get down. [ gunshots ] >> this is the thing that's

just -- it's a nightmare scenario for anyone to think in terms of 30,000 people crouching as this rapid-fire keeps on going. and a number of eyewitness reports saying it felt like it was never going to end. and we've seen the shock of so many people. and understandably right at the scene there. >> again, the numbers that we have, and that has been a while. so these numbers could very much rise. but 24 taken to the hospital wounded. two confirmed dead. 12 people in critical condition. but since the numbers were given out, our jean casarez there has seen ambulances rushing by. clearly people were inside being administered to. so the good news is that the one shooter we're told is down. and now they're just continuing to help those who have been hurt. >> "early start" is next. i'm rosemary church. >> i'm natalie allen. our breaking news continues in just a moment.

aldean. o good morning. welcome to "early start." i'm christine romans. >> welcome all our viewers. we begin with this breaking news. a deadly terrifying shooting on the las vegas strip. a gunman opening fire at the route 91 country music festival in las vegas as performer jason aldean was singing. hospital officials tell us at least two are dead with up to two dozen injured, many critically. police say one suspect i