LAS VEGAS -- At least 58 people were killed and another 489 others were injured Sunday after a gunman opened fire at a country music festival in Las Vegas. The identities of victims of the deadliest mass shooting in recent American history began to emerge in the days following the tragic event.
Authorities say the 64-year-old gunman, Stephen Paddock, fired from the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino at
a crowd attending a music festival below. When police entered his hotel
room, they discovered Paddock had killed himself. A motive has not yet
been determined.
President Trump -- who called the shooting an "act of pure evil" -- and first lady Melania Trump visited University Medical Center's trauma center in Las Vegas on Wednesday and met with and consoled some of the survivors of the massacre. They also paid a visit to first responders, whose actions prevented even more casualties.
Clark County released a full list of victims, which can be found online here.
Some of their stories are now coming to light:
1. Steve Berger
Steve Berger
The
family of a man who was unaccounted for after the Las Vegas shootings
said Tuesday that their worst fears were confirmed, and that 44-year-old
Steve Berger has died, CBS Minnesota reports.
Richard
Berger is the father of 44-year-old Steve Berger, a financial advisor
and Wisconsin native. Richard Berger told CBS Minnesota his son traveled
to Las Vegas to celebrate his birthday last week and last spoke with
him Saturday.
Around 4 a.m. Monday, Richard Berger said he
received a phone call from his son's friend and former college roommate,
telling him that Steve was shot at the concert, but was lost in the
commotion.
Tuesday evening, that friend -- Josh Decker -- shared he was with Berger when the barrage of bullets felt never-ending.
"You
saw people start to fall and go down and scream and there's so many
people in such a close area you couldn't really move anywhere, you could
only get down," Decker said.
Decker saw his friend since freshman year at St. Olaf, who was more like a brother to him, go down.
"I
couldn't touch him but I could see him. I could see he was injured, I
could see he was bleeding. I couldn't do anything, I couldn't do
anything. I basically watched him die over the next half-hour," Decker
said.
Decker said Berger was a larger-than-life person who
breathed life into any room he walked into and was the best at creating
memories. He'll try to do the same for the family Berger leaves behind.
"I will do the best I can every day. I'll get up and hopefully
try to honor him and do what I can to help his children," Decker said.
2. Michelle Vo
Michelle Vo
Michelle Vo, 32, was identified by her employer, the New York Life insurance group, CBS affiliate KLAS-TV reports.
The
San Francisco Bay area native graduated from San Jose's Independence
High School and attended the University of California, Davis. She was
living in Los Angeles prior to the shooting.
"It is with great
sadness that the staff and leadership of the LAX Coastal Chamber of
Commerce mourn the passing of Chamber member, Michelle Vo," the company
said in a statement. "Our hearts go out to Michelle's friends and
family, and to anyone else affected by this heartbreaking tragedy."
The
Associated Press (AP) writes that Vo, 32, was the youngest of four
siblings and loved to cheer for the Golden State Warriors and was a
pretty good golfer, her sister Cathy Vo Warren said. Warren remembered
her sister as someone who always wanted to do good for those around her.
"You'd need a poet to tell you everything," said Cathy's husband, Paul
Warren.
According to the AP, Vo was attending the Las Vegas
concert by herself and befriended Kody Robertson. The two were together
when Vo was shot. Robertson later helped relatives find her.
"We're
very thankful that we met Kody," Warren said. "We're very thankful for
him to be there with Michelle so that she wasn't alone in her last
moments."
3. Jenny Parks
Undated photo of Jenny Parks provided by family friend April Graves
Jenny
Parks' death was confirmed by a close family friend April Graves. She
was married to her childhood sweetheart and they have two children
together. Parks just graduated with her Masters degree this past summer.
Parks was a kindergarten teacher in Palmdale, California.
A GoFundMe page was created for Parks.
4. Christopher Roybal
Christopher Roybal
Facebook
The
U.S. Navy confirms that a veteran Christopher Roybal was killed in the
attack. He was from San Francisco and he served in the Navy for five
years as a master-at-arms.
His wife, Dixie Roybal, said he died
from a gunshot wound to the chest. The family is currently trying to
figure out how to transport his body to Corona, California, she said.
Dixie
Roybal said her 28-year-old husband was an explosive dog handler in the
Navy and he adopted their dog out of the Navy but she died a few months
ago.
"He is a guy that could always put a smile on your face
... after all the stuff he had been through," said David Harman, who
founded a company that owns the Colorado gym where Roybal worked,
according to AP.
AP writes that Roybal worked at Crunch Fitness
in Corona and Riverside, California, before he moved at the beginning of
the year to help open franchises in Colorado Springs.
"He was
the guy who if your car broke down in the middle of the night, you could
call him and he would come help you," Harman said. "He is that guy who
would find solutions, not report on problems."
Harman said
Roybal served in Afghanistan and was coping with the loss of a friend
who was killed by an improvised explosive device, AP writes. Roybal
adopted his friend's bomb-sniffing dog, Bella, but was devastated when
she died of old age.
Roybal mentioned the dog in a July 18
Facebook post that also included a lengthy description of his experience
getting shot at in combat, according to AP.
He ends the post:
"What's it like to be shot at? It's a nightmare no amount of drugs, no
amount of therapy and no amount of drunk talks with your war veteran
buddies will ever be able to escape. Cheers boys."
Roybal's
co-worker, Robert Alexander, said he fell asleep with the television on
Sunday night and awoke to the sound of gunshots coming from the speaker.
When he remembered that Roybal had gone to Las Vegas for his birthday,
he immediately called him but no one answered, AP adds.
He heard Monday morning that his friend had been killed.
"There's
been several times I've had to just walk out of the club and have a
good cry, go get in my car," Alexander said. "And I just drove down the
street this morning, just go have a good cry 'cause it's tough."
Alexander described Roybal as a "goofball" who was full of energy and had an infectious smile.
"I
just had such a fun time any time I was able to interact with him. ...
Chris had that attraction power. He had the ability to make people want
to hang around him," Alexander said.
5. Adrian Murfitt
Adrian Murfitt seen in an undated photo.
Adrian Murfitt, 35, of Anchorage, Alaska, was among those killed, a family member told AP.
Murfitt died in the arms of his longtime friend Brian MacKinnon -- they were friends since their early high school days.
"Quite
literally the most amazing person you would ever meet," MacKinnon said
of Murfitt. "Giant teddy bear with a huge heart but can still kick some
ass if need be. He always put his friends and family first."
The
Reuters news agency writes that the two were taking a picture and a
bullet went through Murfitt's neck, citing MacKinnon, who spoke to the
Alaska Dispatch News.
AP writes that Murfitt's sister, Shannon
Gothard, described her brother as a man with a hearty laugh and a former
competitive hockey player who still dabbled in the game. "His whole
life was always around hockey," she said.
After graduating from
high school, he became a fisherman, picking up odd jobs in the
offseason, AP adds. He had just come off an extremely successful fishing
season when he made the trip to Las Vegas with some good friends,
Gothard said.
Her brother "was happy to pay some things off and
had made some really good money and decided to go out and celebrate and
go to the concert and treat himself to something nice and fun," she
said.
6. Rachael Parker
Rachael Parker
CBS Los Angeles
Rachael Parker, who worked for the Manhattan Beach Police Department for 10 years, was also killed in the shooting, CBS Los Angeles reports. She worked as a police records technician with the department.
A second employee, an off-duty officer, suffered a minor injury at the music festival, the department said.
7. Sonny Melton
Sonny Melton, right, with his wife Heather
Facebook/Union College
Sonny
Melton, a registered nurse in his 20s from Big Sandy, Tennessee, died
in the shooting, the Henry County Medical Center in Paris, Tennessee,
told AP. His wife, Dr. Heather Gulish Melton, was with him when the
shots rang out.
Heather Melton told WZTV in Nashville, Tennessee, that her husband sacrificed his life to save her.
"At
this point, I'm in complete disbelief and despair. I don't know what to
say. Sonny was the most kind-hearted, loving man I have ever met. He
saved my life and lost his," she told the station.
In a White
House press briefing, press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said the
couple had been married for just over a year. Sanders said they traveled
together from Tennessee to attend the concert: "When the bullets began
raining down from above, Sonny shielded her from danger, selflessly
giving up his life to save hers."
He was a 2015 graduate of Union College in Jackson, school officials said on Facebook.
"You
know how when you met someone and you just know that they're good and
kind? That was Sonny," Christy Davis, an assistant professor of nursing,
wrote. "He just had a sweet, kind spirit about him."
8. Angela Gomez
Angie Gomez
GoFundMe
Angela "Angie" Gomez was a cheerleader from Riverside, California. Her GoFundMe page has surpassed its goal to help her family with the costs of funeral arrangements.
"She
was a cheerful young lady with a warm heart and loving spirit," the
fundraising page reads, adding that all money would be sent directly to
her family. "Most of all, please raise this family up in prayer. Keep
them in your thoughts and celebrate the life of a young woman who has
gone home too soon."
AP writes that Gomez graduated from
Riverside Poly High School in 2015, where she was a cheerleader. School
staff remembered her as a "fun-loving young lady with a great sense of
humor."
AP adds that Gomez participated in the Riverside
Children's Theater and was involved in choir. The school district said
Gomez was a hard worker who "always challenged herself academically."
9. Lisa Romero
Lisa Romero
Angel Jax Pinto/KRQE-TV
Lisa Romero, a high school secretary in New Mexico, was one of the victims killed in the shooting, CBS affiliate KRQE-TV in Albuquerque reports. She worked for Gallup-McKinley County Public Schools for 14 years.
A
friend of Romero's said she was a "sweet and beautiful woman" who
worked with children. The friend said many of the students at the high
school looked up to her.
Students, friends and family gathered Monday night for a vigil, KRQE-TV writes.
"When
I was in middle school she helped me through a lot with my family. You
could trust her with anything," high school freshman Shelby Silva said,
according to KRQE-TV.
The station said that hugs, tears and memories were shared at Miyamura High School on Monday.
KRQE-TV says the superintendent remembers Romero as a mentor and advocate for students.
"She
gave me advice to like keep pushing through the hard things and so when
I heard she passed it kind of hit me in my heart," freshman Jazmine
Arreguin said.
"I was trying not to get angry, it's just that's a
lot of what I'm feeling right now is just, why? It's just senseless,"
said Darci Sanchez.
Lisa's husband, Chris Muniz, released a statement to say thank you for the condolences and to urge people to continue to pray:
"I
want to thank the people of Gallup, Las Vegas, state of New Mexico and
the nation for their outpouring of support and condolences on behalf of
my wife Lisa, our family is deeply touched. Please continue to pray for
her, our children and grandchildren during this tragic time. While we
understand the concerns and questions from the media regarding our
family's loss, we request that everyone please respect our privacy
during this time. Lisa will be missed by her daughter, two sons, four
grandchildren, our entire extended family and the community she loved."
10. Jordan McIldoon
Jordan McIldoon
Facebook
Jordan McIldoon, a 23-year-old mechanic's apprentice from British Columbia was also among those slain, CBC News reports.
"We only had one child," Al and Angela McIldoon told the news outlet. "We just don't know what to do."
His death was confirmed by a woman who said she was with him on the ground after he was shot.
McIldoon would have turned 24 next week.
11. Jennifer Topaz Irvine
Thomas Slattery/Facebook
Jennifer
Topaz Irvine, a San Diego-based attorney, was identified as one of the
victims by her coworker and friend, CBS News correspondent Mireya
Villarreal reports.
Irvine was a family law attorney and her
co-worker, Thomas Slattery, said she was a "great attorney" who was
always "happy and energetic."
Slattery shared an image of Irvine
on Facebook with a caption that read: "A tragic loss of a kind,
generous, and beautiful lady. She will be greatly missed."
Kyle
Kraska, a sports director for the CBS affiliate KFMB-TV in San Diego,
was a close friend of Irvine's and posted on Facebook that she was
singing and dancing to country music when she was shot in the head.
Kraska -- who survived after being shot multiple times outside his home
in 2015 by a house painter -- wrote that Irvine's death felt like "I
have now been victimized by gun violence twice."
"When does it stop?!" he wrote.
12. Bailey Schweitzer
Bailey Schweitzer
Facebook/Bailey Schweitzer
Bailey
Schweitzer, a 20-year-old receptionist, was identified by her boss and
friend who worked closely with her family, CBS News' Villarreal reports.
Schweitzer attended the concert with her mother and best friend but there were no immediate reports on their injuries.
"Bailey
was a ray of sunshine. She brightened everyone's day. She's one of the
best people I've known," Amy Campbell told Villarreal.
13. Susan Smith
Susan Smith
Simi Valley School District
Susan Smith, 53, was a victim of the Las Vegas shooting, Jake Finch, a Simi Valley Schools spokeswoman confirmed.
Smith
worked for Simi Valley School District in California for 16 years,
serving as the office manager at Vista Fundamental Elementary School for
three years, Finch said.
"She's the hub," Finch told the AP.
"She supported the principal, taking care of the many things that happen
in the school. She was patient. She was kind, especially with the kids.
Even when it was chaotic she would smile."
She was married and the mother of two adult children and was a big fan of country music.
14. Sandy Casey
Sandy Casey, left, and Christopher Willemse
Facebook/Christopher Willemse
Sandy Casey's partner Christopher Willemse confirmed the 35-year-old's death to CBS News in a statement Monday.
"The
world lost one of its true bright spots when Sandy was taken away from
it. She made the world a better place. She's been teaching for 11 years
primarily at MBMS in Manhattan Beach [California]. She's kind, witty,
and extremely funny! She loved the simple things, country music,
running, and yoga!"
Sen. Bernie Sanders also expressed condolences for the Vermonter saying "our hearts are with her friends & family."
15. Denise Burditus
Denise Burditus
Facebook
The
AP writes that while the sun was still shining Sunday at the Route 91
Harvest Festival in Las Vegas, Denise Burditus posted a photo on
Facebook of herself and her husband standing in front of the stage,
smiling broadly.
Later, after news of the massacre spread, a friend asked simply: "Are you two ok--"
Burditus never replied.
MetroNews,
a West Virginia-based radio network, reported that Tony Burditus wrote
on his Facebook page that his wife was among the victims, according to
the AP.
"It saddens me to say that I lost my wife of 32 years, a
mother of two, soon to be grandmother of five this evening in the Las
Vegas shooting," Tony Burditus wrote. "Denise passed in my arms. I LOVE
YOU BABE."
Denise Burditus' Facebook page includes a photo of
her and her husband at the same festival last year. Mandalay Bay, the
hotel where the gunman opened fire, is shown in the background.
16. Neysa Tonks
Neysa Tonks shown in an undated photo.
GoFundMe
In a blog post Monday,
Tonks' employer, Technologent, said it "lost one of our own in this
tragedy. A great mother, colleague and friend, Neysa Tonks."
The
statement added: "She leaves behind three boys -- Kaden, Braxton and
Greysen. Neysa has brought so much joy, fun and laughter to Technologent
-- she will be greatly missed by all!"
A GoFundMe page was created for Tonks.
17. Charleston Hartfield
Charleston Hartfield
KLAS-TV
Nevada
Army Guardsman Sgt. 1st Class Charleston Hartfield was among the
victims. The 34-year-old was a soldier in the 100th Quartermaster
Company headquartered in Las Vegas, KLAS-TV reports.
Brig.
Gen. William Burks, the Adjutant General of the Nevada National Guard,
said losing any member of the Guard family is difficult, especially in
such an unexpected manner. "Charleston Hartfield lived to serve the
public and protect his family, he is the epitome of a citizen-soldier,"
he said.
"Sgt. 1st Class Hartfield epitomizes everything good
about America," said Brig. Gen. Zachary Doser, the commander of the
Nevada Army National Guard.
Charleston leaves behind a wife and two children.
18. Austin Davis
Austin Davis
Facebook
The death of Austin Davis of Riverside, California, was confirmed by his girlfriend, Aubree Hennigan.
"From
Lori and Gary and Stacey and the rest for the family and myself:
Tonight we lost an amazing man. Austin, my love, I can't believe this
happened. You didn't deserve this," Hennigan wrote on Facebook.
CBS Los Angeles
writes that Davis, 29, was part of a local plumbers and pipe-fitters
union. Donations can be made in his memory through GoFundMe here and here.
Acording to the Press-Enterprise, Davis was attending the concert with this friend Thomas Day Jr. -- who was also killed.
Reuters
writes that Davis loved softball and singing karaoke to country songs.
He leaves behind his parents and his girlfriend, high school sweetheart,
according to the Press Enterprise.
19. Thomas Day Jr.
Tom Day Jr.
Facebook
The
Los Angeles Times reports that Thomas Day Jr., 54, of Riverside,
California, was a homebuilder who went to the festival with his
children, who are in their 20s and 30s.
"He was the best dad. That's why the kids were with him," his father, Thomas Day Sr., told the newspaper. "They're crushed."
20. Cameron Robinson
Cameron Robinson
Facebook
The death of Cameron Robinson, 28, was confirmed by his sister, Meghan Ervin. She told CBS affiliate KUTV
that Robinson was an employee with the city of Las Vegas. She said
Robinson attended the festival with his boyfriend and that her brother
was struck in the neck. His boyfriend took shrapnel to his back but was
expected to survive.
AP writes that Robinson was a records
specialist for the city of Las Vegas, and his infectious personality
made him the heart of the office, Jerbic, the city attorney, said
Tuesday. Robinson moved to southern Utah about a year ago to be with
boyfriend Bobby Eardley, and commuted two hours each way to work every
day, AP adds.
"He was just so happy -- you could see it in his
face," Jerbic said. "If he was alive, he would say this is the best time
of his life."
"(Eardley) actually held him. He was with him
when he died. He tried to stop the bleeding. There was so much chaos,"
Jerbic said, according to AP.
A GoFundMe page was setup in Robinson's honor.
21. Carrie Barnette
Carrie Barnette
Facebook
Carrie
Barnette, 34, was identified by her sister, Amy Castillo. She worked at
Disneyland for the last 10 years and saved for months to make the trip
to Las Vegas for the country music festival, Castillo said.
"She's my best friend and I don't know how I can live without her," she said. She was an aunt to two nieces and three nephews.
Robert
Iger, chairman and CEO of The Walt Disney Company, mourned Castillo on
social media. "A senseless, horrific, act, and a terrible loss for so
many," he tweeted. "We mourn a wonderful member of the Disney family:
Carrie Barnette. Tragic."
Barnette, 34, worked at Disney California Adventure as part of the culinary team, Reuters reports.
22. Rhonda LeRocque
Rhonda LeRocque
Facebook
Rhonda LeRocque, 42, of Tewksbury, Massachusetts, was identified by her grandmother, CBS Boston reports.
Her
mother, Priscilla Champaign, said she was devastated after learning of
LeRocque's death. "I was devastated [Monday] morning at 7 o'clock to
find out she's been shot, murdered, in a senseless, horrific act,"
Champaign told the station.
The AP writes LeRocque attended the
concert Sunday with her husband and their 6-year-old daughter, but that
the child was taken back to their hotel before the shooting happened.
Champaign
told the AP that Rhonda's husband, Jason, was next to her when she
fell. He thought she was ducking but she did not get up.
LeRocque
had a love for cooking, music and her family. She worked at the
Cambridge, Massachusetts, office of the design company IDEO, according
to Champaign.
23. John Phippen
John Phippen
John
Phippen of Santa Clarita, California, was identified as one of the
victims. He was the owner of JP Specialties, a home remodeling company.
Phippen was dancing next to his son, Travis, when he was struck in the
lower back.
AP reports that Phippen was a father of six who was
always willing to lend an ear -- or a cold beer -- to a friend in need.
His youngest child, a daughter, is just 14.
"He had a heart that
was larger than life and a personality to match," neighbor Leah
Nagyivanyi wrote on an online fundraising page, according to AP. "You
felt like you knew him for years the first time you met him," Nagyivanyi
said of the 56-year-old.
24. Bill Wolfe Jr.
Bill Wolfe Jr.
KLAS-TV
Bill
Wolfe Jr. of Shippensburg, Pennsylvania, was among the victims, police
said. Wolfe was an elementary school wrestling coach and a Little League
team who leaves behind a wife and a son.
A post on the Shippensburg University wrestling page said the team was "broken-hearted" by the loss.
The AP writes that Wolfe and his wife, Robyn, were celebrating their 20th wedding anniversary in Las Vegas.
Wolfe's son posted a tribute on Twitter:
25. Kurt Von Tillow
Kurt Von Tillow
KYTX-TV
Kurt Von Tillow, 55, of Cameron Park, California, was killed in the shooting, CBS Sacramento reports.
His
friends and golf buddies told the station that Von Tillow will always
be remembered for his laugh, smile and tremendous friendship.
Von Tillow's sister and niece were injured in the shooting but they are both expected to survive.
Local media reports that Tillow was the "most patriotic person you've ever met," brother-in-law Mark Carson said.
Von
Tillow likely was smiling and enjoying the music with his family,
sipping on a Coors Light and decked out in red, white and blue, Carson
said.
The Sacramento Bee reported that the Cameron Park Country
Club, where Tillow was a member, had a procession of golf carts Oct. 2
in remembrance of him.
26. Heather Alvarado
Heather Alvarado
Facebook
Heather Alvarado, 32, a mother of three, just moved to Cedar City, Utah, from Riverside, California, CBS Los Angeles reports.
Alvarado was a recent transplant recipient, according to CBS Los Angeles.
Alvarado was the wife of Cedar City Firefighter Albert Alvarado, according to a post on the department's Facebook page.
The
fire department writes that Alvarado "always saw the good in others.
She spent her whole life serving others in her family and community. She
and Albert loved traveling with their children and went on many trips,
cruises and day trips, too many to mention. She was happiest when she
was together with her family, especially her children and she would do
ANYTHING for them."
Alvarado ran an in-home day care center in
Cedar City, according to the AP, and was a devoted mother, said longtime
friend Megan Jackson Gadd.
"She has made huge impacts on those
around her with even the smallest gestures," Jackson Gadd said in a
Facebook messenger conversation. "A person like her will never be
replaced or forgotten and will be missed dearly every day for the rest
of our lives."
A GoFundMe page was created in Alvarado's honor.
27. Hannah Ahlers
Hannah Ahlers
Facebook
Hannah Ahlers, a 34-year-old mother of three from Murrieta, California, was identified by her father-in-law, the Las Vegas Review-Journal reports.
Dave
Ahlers told the newspaper that she traveled to Vegas with her husband
and three other couples. He called her a young Mary Tyler Moore and said
"she could have 'lit the world up with her smile.'"
28. Jessica Klymchuk
Jessica Klymchuk
Jessica Klymchuk, 28, of Edmonton, Canada, a single mother of four, was identified by local media. She was visiting Las Vegas with her fiancé.
Alberta Premier Rachel Notley confirmed Klymchuk's death on Twitter. In a statement, she said "Albertans are shocked, outraged and unspeakably saddened by the horrifying attack."
The
AP writes that Klymchuk lived in the northwestern Alberta town of
Valleyview where she worked as an educational assistant, librarian and
bus driver at an area Catholic church.
29. Calla Medig
Calla Medig
Facebook
Calla Medig's death was confirmed by local media.
The
AP writes that Medig, 28, grew up in Jasper, Canada, and took time off
from her job at Moxie's restaurant in west Edmonton to attend the music
festival, according to her boss Scott Collingwood.
"This has started to become an annual thing for her. I believe it was her third trip," he told AP.
A Facebook post by Jasper Royal Canadian Legion Branch 31 said it was lowering its flag:
When news broke about the shooting Sunday, Collingwood said
he immediately called Medig, It went right to voice mail, and she didn't
answer texts or Facebook messages, according to the AP.
"She
was kind of a rock and, as of Thursday, she would have been our newest
manager," Collingwood said. "A lot of us around here have super heavy
hearts and we already miss her."
30. Tara Roe Smith
Tara Roe Smith
Facebook
Tara
Roe Smith, who was 34 and lived in Okotoks, Alberta, was in Las Vegas
with her husband, Zach, for a weekend getaway, the AP writes.
Her aunt, Val Rodgers, said Roe Smith, a mother of two, died Sunday.
"She
was a beautiful soul. She was a wonderful mother and our family is
going to miss her dearly," Rodgers said when contacted at her home in
Brandon, Manitoba, on Tuesday.
A GoFundMe page was created to help the family.
31. Stacee Etcheber
Stacee Etcheber
CBS San Francisco
Stacee Etcheber of Novato, California, was identified by her brother-in-law on Facebook.
Stacee Etcheber, the wife of a San Francisco police officer, was killed Sunday, CBS San Francisco reports. She was attending the festival with her husband Officer Vinnie Etcheber.
Etcheber, 34, was remembered Tuesday by friends and family as a beloved mother, wife and daughter.
"It's
with a heavy heart and deep sorrow, Stacee Etcheber has passed away,"
Al Etcheber, Stacee's brother-in-law, said in a statement posted early Tuesday morning on Facebook.
"Please pray for our family during this difficult time. She leaves
behind two adoring beautiful children and an amazing husband. Thank you
to everyone for all the support in this past few days."
The San
Francisco Police Officers' Association said in a statement, "Stacee was a
wonderful, caring wife, mother, and daughter. She will be terribly
missed. Our deepest condolences go out to the entire Etcheber family and
our thoughts and prayers are with all those who lost a loved one during
this tragic attack."
Al Etcheber also spoke at a press conference late Tuesday morning to address the sad news.
"When
the shooting occurred, it was all about helping other people," said
Etcheber. "When my brother went out to help other folks and put her in
safety and told her to run out of there, she didn't run out of there.
She came back and helped other people as well. That's when they got
separated. From there, we really didn't know what happened."
The SFPD also released a statement saying the department is grieving today after this senseless act of violence.
The police officers' union set up a GoFundMe page to raise money to help support the family.
32. Jordyn Rivera
Jordyn Rivera
Facebook/Cal State University-San Bernardino
Jordyn
Rivera, 21, of San Bernardino, California, was a fourth-year college
student studying health care management, according to Cal State
University-San Bernardino.
"I personally got a chance to know
her when we spent time together last summer in London during the summer
abroad program. As one of her faculty members noted, we will remember
and treasure her for her warmth, optimism, energy, and kindness," the
university's president, Tomás Morales, said on Facebook.
33. Quinton Robbins
Quinton Robbins, 20, Robbins leaves behind a younger brother and sister, who adored him, as well as his parents.
AP
reports that Quinton Robbins of Henderson, Nevada, was the big brother
who coached his little brother's flag football team, the prom king who
was nice to everyone regardless of their high school social standing, an
outdoorsman who loved to fish and boat around the lake.
"The
kid was loved by everyone," Mike Wells, his uncle, said. "He was popular
in high school, but would walk up to the kid who wasn't so popular and
befriend him and make him feel good."
Robbins, 20, died moments
after a bullet struck his chest and exited through his lower back, AP
writes. He was up on his knees, looking for a spot to take his
girlfriend for shelter, when he was hit, said Wells, recounting Robbins'
girlfriend's account from Sunday night.
"I think I got shot," Robbins looked at her and said before collapsing.
AP
adds that Robbins leaves behind a younger brother and sister, who
adored him, as well as his parents, Wells said. His parents sat beside
Robbins, who had already died, until about 5 or 6 in the morning, Wells
said, before rushing home to make sure they could tell his 11-year-old
brother the news themselves.
34. Dana Gardner
Dana Gardner
Dana
Gardner, 52, of Grand Terrace, California, was attending the music
festival with her daughter Kayla when the gunfire erupted, AP writes.
Gardner
was a deputy recorder in the San Bernardino County Assessor-Recorder's
Officer, per AP. She'd held a job there since 1991, accourding to David
Wert, a county spokesman.
The AP writes that Gardner had two
other children, sons Anthony and Ryan, and lived with her little white
dog, Ellie. She loved the outdoors and travelling, filling her Facebook
page with pictures from a trip to Puerto Rico and walks on beaches, or
in redwood forests, AP adds.
35. Dorene Anderson
Dorene Anderson
Facebook
Dorene
Anderson, whose Facebook page identifies her as a stay-at-home mom, was
killed in the shootings, according to a member of the Alaska Aces
organization, CBS affiliate KTVA-TV in Anchorage, Alaska, writes.
Anderson's Facebook page says she was in Vegas attending the music festival and was the second person from Alaska confirmed killed.
Anderson's
husband, John, works for the Alaska Housing Finance Corp., the AP
writes. The CEO of that organization sent an email to employees Monday
informing them that Dorene had been killed in the shooting.
Anderson
described herself on her Facebook page as having a passion for the
Alaska Aces, a minor league hockey team that recently disbanded and was
sold to the parent company of the NHL's Philadelphia Flyers. She had
been a member of the Aces' "Cowbell Crew."
Stacy Shubert, the
director of governmental relations and public affairs for the
corporation, told AP that the family requested privacy.
36. Jack Beaton
Jack Beaton
Facebook
Jack Beaton of Bakersfield, California, died while saving his wife during the shooting, Reuters reports.
Jack's death was confirmed with a post by his son Jake on Facebook:
A photo posted to Facebook apparently shows Beaton with his wife at the concert.
Reuters adds that Beaton worked as a grill master at a barbecue restaurant.
37. Melissa Ramirez
Melissa Ramirez
Facebook
A post on Facebook by a family member confirms the death of Melissa Ramirez, 26.
The
AP writes that Melissa's parents and siblings hurried to Las Vegas from
Littlerock, California, after getting word of the shootings.
"They searched Monday ... searched everywhere," said another cousin, Fabiola Farnetti, 34, of Palmdale, California.
Around 5 a.m. Tuesday, Melissa's parents positively identified her body.
Farnetti said Melissa had been posting photos from the festival on
Instagram and Snapchat. The 2015 graduate of California State
University, Bakersfield, Melissa Ramirez worked as a member specialist
for an auto insurance company.
"I'm sure she liked country
music. I know she was really into music, period," Farnetti said. "I
never once saw her in a bad mood or upset about anything. She was always
positive. Her smile would just brighten up everyone's day."Maribel
Ramirez, Melissa's cousin, learned of the death on Facebook.
There is a GoFundMe page setup in Ramirez's memory.
38. Kelsey Brianne Meadows
Kelsey Meadows
Fresno State
The
AP writes that Kelsey Meadows, 28, loved children and she returned to
her hometown of Taft, California, to teach at her alma mater, Taft Union
High School, after earning her degree. Meadows was a substitute
teacher.
"Kelsey was smart, compassionate and kind. She had a
sweet spirit and a love for children," Principal Mary Alice Finn said in
a statement.
Meadows' brother, Brad Meadows, posted on his
Facebook page that his sister had not been heard from since going to the
music festival. The firefighter thanked everyone for helping them try
to find her.
"So it is with an absolutely shattered heart that I
let everyone know that Kelsey did not survive this tragic event,"
Meadows posted Tuesday.
Meadows was a Fresno State University alumna, according to a statement posted online by the school.
Meadows
was "a gifted teacher who demonstrated a skill and passion for her
chosen profession," said FSU history professor Dr. Lori Clune.
The
statement added that Fresno State President Joseph I. Castro said that
Meadows' memory will be honored with a flag tribute the day of her
services -- which has yet to be determined.
The statement read:
"On behalf of her alma mater, I extend my deepest condolences to
Kelsey's family, friends and colleagues as well as the faculty and staff
she knew here at the University. Fresno State will honor her memory by
posting our national and state flags at half-staff on the day of her
services."
39. Laura Shipp
Laura Shipp
Facebook
Laura Shipp's death was confirmed by family members with two social media posts on Facebook.
The
AP writes that Shipp raised her son Corey by herself, then moved to Las
Vegas from Thousand Oaks, California, a few years ago to be closer to
him. Both were country music fans, and they went to the Route 91 Harvest
Festival together, said Laura Shipp's mother, Joyce Shipp.
They were together until just before a gunman opened fire Sunday night, AP adds.
"We
really don't know what happened, just that she went to the bathroom and
nobody saw her after that," Joyce Shipp said of her 50-year-old
daughter, a dispatcher at an air conditioner company.
After her
son, a Marine Corps reservist, spent more than a day trying to find out
what had happened to Shipp, he was notified she was dead.
"He's
not doing great," Joyce Shipp said of her grandson. "He's just trying to
get his arms around all this but he's surrounded by his friends and
family. We don't want to leave him alone at this time."
A GoFundMe page was created in Shipp's memory.
40. Keri Lynn Galvan
Keri Lynn Galvan
Facebook
The
AP writes that Keri Lynn Galvan was at the Route 91 Harvest Festival
with her husband, Justin, when she was killed, sister Lindsey Poole said
in a statement. Her husband survived.
"She was senselessly murdered ... while enjoying a night out with her husband and friends," Poole wrote.
Galvan, 31, of Thousand Oaks, California, leaves behind children 2, 4 and 10 years old.
Galvan's days "started and ended with doing everything in her power to be a wonderful mother," Poole wrote.
Her employer, Mastro's Steakhouse, in Thousand Oaks, California, also confirmed her death.
41. Carrie Parsons
Carrie Parsons
Facebook
Carrie Parsons' death was confirmed by her brother, Jeff, with a post on Facebook.
Reuters
cites local media as saying Parsons was attending the music festival on
a girls trip. She was recently engaged in Hawaii, worked as a
recruiter, was full of life, a country music fan and attended several
festivals.
"She would always say 'live, laugh, love' and she did that," a close friend to local media.
42. Austin Cooper Meyer
Austin Meyer
Facebook
Truckee
Meadows Community College student Austin Cooper Meyer was at the music
festival with his fiancee to celebrate his birthday, the school's
president said in a statement.
CBS affiliate KION reports
Meyer was originally from Marina, California and was now living in Reno
and earning a degree in Transportation Technologies - Automotive
Certified Technician Emphasis.
Meyer's family told KION they
wanted to thank the firefighter and a woman from Minnesota who assisted
in giving him medical aid.
43. Brennan Stewart
Brennan Stewart
GoFundMe
Brennan Stewart's death was confirmed by a family member's post on Facebook.
The
AP writes that country music was nearly everything for Stewart, who
rarely missed a chance to hear it performed live, according to a
statement from his family.
The 30-year-old musician from Las
Vegas played guitar and wrote his own songs, AP reports. He always put
others first, even in his final moments when he used his body to shield
his girlfriend from the gunfire, his family said.
He was an Atlanta Braves and San Francisco 49ers fan, AP writes, and let his family know what they meant to him.
"If
country music ever disappeared I feel like I would too," Brennan once
wrote on Facebook. "After a long day of work I go pick up the 'old
geetar' and strum my stresses away."
A GoFundMe page created in his memory pledges to donate the money to a youth organization centered around the art of music.
44. Carly Kreibaum
Carly Kreibaum
Facebook
Family members confirmed Carly Kreibaum's death to local media and in a Facebook post.
The
AP writes that 33-year-old Kreibaum lived in Sutherland, Iowa, with a
population of fewer than 620 people. She traveled to Las Vegas with
friends.
The Sioux City Journal reported she attended the concert with two friends who said they got separated but saw her get shot.
AP
says Kreibaum was a mother of two and a Sibley native who graduated
from Sibley-Ocheyedan High School. She later attended Wayne State
College in Wayne, Nebraska. The Sutherland Church of Christ has set up a
bank account for donations to her husband and children.
45. Rocio Guillen
Rocio Guillen
Instagram
CBS Los Angeles reports that Rocio Guillen was killed Sunday night.
The
station says the 40-year-old gave birth to her fourth child just six
weeks ago and now her family is torn apart by the sudden loss. Even
though Guillen was shot, she managed to climb a fence and get out but
later died at the hospital.
AP writes that Guillen worked as an
assistant general manager at a pizza restaurant, and went to Katella
High school in Anaheim.
A GoFundMe page was created in her memory.
46. Lisa Patterson
Lisa Patterson
Facebook
Robert
Patterson raced to Las Vegas when he learned his wife Lisa Patterson,
46, of Lomita, California, was missing in the chaos of Sunday night's
shooting, CBS Los Angeles reports.
She was the mother of his
three children, and they had been together for more than 30 years. "I
can't believe she's gone," he said.
"There was nobody that cared more about people and life than my wife Lisa," Robert told CBS Los Angeles.
Patterson
was an active community volunteer and business owner of Robert
Patterson Hardwood Floors with her husband, Reuters writes, citing the
Daily Breeze in Torrance.
Lisa was a graduate of El Camino
College and Rolling Hills High School, she was Parent Teacher
Association president at St. John's Fisher Parish School in Rancho Palos
Verdes and a volunteer at the Palos Verdes Girls Softball League.
A GoFundMe page was created in Patterson's memory.
47. Lt. Derrick "Bo" Taylor
Derrick "Bo" Taylor
Lt. Derrick "Bo" Taylor's death was confirmed by a press release by the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.
Taylor,
56, served the department for decades, beginning his career in 1988. He
worked as a commander at the Ventura Conservation Camp, which houses
inmates that help California fight wildfires, AP writes.
48. Andrea Castilla
Andrea Castilla
Facebook
Andrea Castilla, 28, was confirmed dead by multiple posts on social media by family members.
Castilla was in Las Vegas to celebrate her 28th birthday. She grew up in Fountain Valley, California.
In
addition, Sephora said it mourns Castilla's death as she was a makeup
artist with them and was remembered by a customer as always kind and
helpful.
Her aunt set up a GoFundMe to raise money for her memorial service.
49. Nicol Kimura
Nicol Kimura
Facebook
The death of Nicol Kimura was confirmed by multiple reports on social media and local media.
According
to the AP, Kimura, 38, went to the music festival with a group of seven
men and women who call themselves "framily" -- friends who are like
family. She was fatally shot seconds after the gunfire began, said Ryan
Miller, who is part of the group.
Kimura, a Southern California
native, lived in Placentia and is survived by her parents, a sister and
the friends who were with her when she died. She was single and didn't
have children, AP writes, but she was treated like family by the kids of
group members, Miller added.
"She was a mom to all of our kids;
they called her 'auntie,'" he said. "I have two kids myself, and they
were just absolutely devastated that they will not be able to see her
again."
Kimura worked in a tax office for Orange County and spent most weekends with her friends. No one else in the group was shot.
"She was just such an amazing woman and she was just such a light," he said.
CBS
Los Angeles writes that Kimura's friend, Melodie Ybarra, said: "You are
now a beautiful angel as you were here on Earth."
A GoFundMe page was created in Kimura's memory.
50. Christiana Duarte
Christiana Duarte
Facebook
Christiana
Duarte, 22, just took her first job, working in marketing for the Los
Angeles Kings after graduating from the University of Arizona, the AP
reports.
"It's just so tragic that this evil, evil man would do
this, would just destroy the life of this beautiful young woman," said
family spokeswoman Danette Myers, a co-worker of Duarte's father at the
Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office. "She would've given so
much to this world, and now that's been cut short."
A GoFundMe page was created in Duarte's memory.
Duarte
was the only daughter in a well-known Los Angeles family. Her father,
Michael Duarte, is a deputy district attorney, and her older brother,
also Michael, is a prospect for the Chicago White Sox baseball team,
Myers said.
Ariel Romero, the younger Michael's girlfriend who
was with Christiana at the concert, is still in the hospital recovering
from her own gunshot wounds, Myers said. A GoFundMe page was created for Ariel.
51. Denise Cohen
Denise Cohen
Facebook
Denise Cohen was the mother of two sons and her Facebook page has since become memorialized after Sunday's deadly shooting.
Local media says Cohen lived for the past two years with Leana Orsua in Carpinteria, California.
One
of her two sons, Jeff Rees sent a message to Orsua saying, "Our mother
was such a strong beautiful and happy woman who made a difference to the
lives of everyone she knew. She was such a happy person and enjoyed
doing the things in life that she loved. We can see by the last photo
of her that she was indeed happy and with a person that loves her, Bo."
"She was more than just a friend to me, she was like a sister or
a family member," said Orsua. "She was a very active social person she
touched so many lives. She was a super positive, genuine, kind-hearted
individual."
A GoFundMe page was created in Cohen's memory.
52. Erick Silva
Erick Silva
Facebook
Erick
Silva, 21, was working as a private security guard at the music
festival when he was killed while trying to help people get out of the
venue safely, the AP reports.
His close friend, Martin Adrian
Marin Jr., said he was not surprised Silva died helping others. "He
would give the shirt off his back to comfort anyone," Marin said. "He
was such a courageous man."
AP writes that Marin saved the last text message Silva sent to him that Sunday morning, before going to work at the festival.
"I want to wish you a lovely and productive day," Silva texted. "Just know that I am always here."
Silva would send text messages like that almost daily, Marin said.
"He was always so sweet and generous and caring," he said. "It was not hard to fall in love with his personality."
53. Chris Hazencomb
Chris Hazencomb
GoFundMe
Chris Hazencomb of Camarillo, California, was age 44.
A GoFundMe page was created in Hazencomb's memory.
54. Victor Link
Victor Link
Facebook
Victor Link of San Clemente, California, was 55.
55. Patricia Mestas
Patricia Mestas
GoFundMe
Reuters
writes that Patricia Mestas, 67, loved attending country music
concerts, her best friend told a local newspaper in Riverside,
California.
"She went to almost every country show in driving distance," Isa Bahu told the Press-Enterprise.
One of her favorite artists was Jason Aldean -- who happened to be performing when the gun shots rang out Sunday night.
Reuters writes that Mestas lived in Menifee, California, and had attended high school in Pomona.
"Her
generous smile was infectious, and it brightly reflected the glory of
God like a beacon of joy," her cousin Tom Smith said on Facebook.
A GoFundMe page was created in Mestas' honor.
56. Brian Fraser
Brian Fraser
CBS News confirmed Brian Fraser's death over the phone with one of his coworkers.
57. Candice Bowers
Candice Bowers
KLAS-TV
CBS News confirmed Candice Bowers' death with her aunt over the phone.
CBS affiliate KLAS-TV reports
that she was a single mother of three from Garden Grove, California.
Bowers, 40, drove to Las Vegas with a friend to attend the music
festival.
A GoFundMe page was created in Bowers' memory.
58. Brett Schwanbeck
Facebook
Brett Schwanbeck, 61, of Bullhead City, Arizona died Tuesday after suffering a head wound on Sunday, the Las Vegas Review-Journal writes.
Schwanbeck, a retired truck driver, had two sons and a daughter. He had five grandchildren.
"He
liked to be where no one else was at. He liked to get lost out in the
middle of the woods," his youngest son Shawn Schwanbeck told the
Review-Journal Wednesday. "My dad was the funnest guy in the world to be
around."
Here are the victims of the Las Vegas shooting
Reviewed by info_impromises
on
October 07, 2017
Rating: 5
Best of all, Kurt Von Tillow was a hero. Von Tillow's father has the same age as the man from Moffat County, Colorado, Carl Arthur Rohnke.
ReplyDelete