"He overshadowed Mom": stories of people who behaved heroically during the Las Vegas shooting

On Sunday evening, October 1, about 20 thousand people gathered to relax and listen to music at a country music festival in Las Vegas. 64-year-old Stephen Paddock, for reasons still unknown, opened fire on the gathered crowd from the window of his hotel room. At the moment, it is known that the shooter killed 59 people and injured more than 500.

Despite the chaos and horror that engulfed terrified people trying to escape to death, there were brave men who risked their lives to help others. They helped the police, carried out and took the wounded to hospitals, shielded their relatives. Unfortunately, some of these heroes did not survive.

Source: Bored Panda

Jonathan Smith, 30, saved ~30 people last night before he was shot in the neck. He might live w/the bullet for rest of his life. #vegasstrip pic.twitter.com/6hLujXWe51

— Heather Long (@byHeatherLong) October 2, 2017

Jonathan Smith, a copier repair specialist, came to the festival with his family to celebrate his brother's birthday. At first Smith thought he heard fireworks. But when singer Jason Aldean ran off the stage, he realized it was gunshots. People started running, and Smith lost sight of all the family members. The guy did not lose his head and directed groups of terrified people to a safe place, shouting that they were really being shot at, they had to run. Trying to get to a group of teenagers, he was shot in the neck.

One of the policemen helped him stop the bleeding and took him to the hospital. Smith survived, as did his entire family, but the bullet is likely to remain in the body forever: doctors did not dare to remove it in fear that they would only make it worse. Jonathan Smith saved about 30 people. He was diagnosed with a broken collarbone, cracked ribs and a bruised lung.

"This man got shot protecting my sister during the shooting" — a post on behalf of tynation was posted on Reddit. The user's sister survived, as did her savior.

Sonny Melton with his wife Heather. The man died, obscuring his wife. At the festival, the couple celebrated their first wedding anniversary. Sonny grabbed Heather and ran, shielding her. "I felt the moment when he was shot in the back," Heather later said in an interview.

When the shooting started, 29-year-old Taylor Winston (Taylor Winston) was to the right of the stage. He was able to escape with his girlfriend to a safe place, where they noticed a truck with keys in the ignition and without a driver. The guys began to carry the wounded into the car and take them to hospitals. They were able to take away more than 20 people.

Carly Krygier immediately put her daughter on the ground and covered her with her body. Both survived.

Firefighter Steve Keys was performing CPR on a woman when he was shot in the chest and stomach. Despite the injuries, the firefighter remained in place and continued to help people. Steve Keys survived.

48-year-old former teacher Mike Cronk (Mike Cronk) immediately realized what was happening when his best friend Rob McIntosh was hit by three bullets. Cronk pulled out a friend with the help of other people, stopping the blood with his T-shirt. When the friend was taken to the hospital, the former teacher returned to the scene of the tragedy to help the others.

Philadelphia-based financial adviser Mike McGarry rushed to shield his children as soon as the shots rang out. "They are 20, I am 53. I have lived a good life." McGarry and his children survived. When the crowd began to disperse, footprints were visible on the father's back.

Lindsay Padget and her fiance got out unharmed and got to their car. Then the couple returned back and took 10 people from the scene.

Los Angeles firefighter Mark McCurdy carried out his wife's wounded sister under bullets, and then returned to the scene to help other wounded.

Officer Richard Cole was one of many police officers who arrived at the scene of the shooting. His brother shared photos of what the officer's car and uniform looked like when he helped the wounded, including a woman with a bullet in her head.

Iraq War veteran Chris Bethel came to Las Vegas for a work conference. He heard gunshots two floors above his room. It was thanks to his call that the police were able to locate the shooter.