Country music star Jason Aldean, who was onstage at a Las Vegas music festival when a gunman opened fire Sunday night, offered comments about the shooting and prayers for victims Monday.
“Tonight has been beyond horrific,” Aldean posted on Instagram after the attack near Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino, in which at least 58 people were killed and more than 500 injured. “I still don’t know what to say but wanted to let everyone know that Me and my Crew are safe.”
“My Thoughts and prayers go out to everyone involved tonight,” Aldean continued. “It hurts my heart that this would happen to anyone who was just coming out to enjoy what should have been a fun night.”
Aldean was performing around 10 p.m. when a lone gunman, later identified as 64-year-old Stephen Paddock of Mesquite, Nevada, opened fire with an automatic weapon from his room on the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino, which overlooked the concert venue.
Aldean continued singing a for a few seconds after the gunfire started, then ran offstage abruptly. According to Us Weekly, Aldean and his band and crew members hid behind equipment until they were taken off the property by police. None of them were hurt, but their bus reportedly had bullet holes.
Aldean’s wife Brittany was at the concert with Aldean, though it was not clear where she was when the shooting started. She is pregnant with the couple’s first child.
“Our angels were definitely watching over us tonight,” she posted on Instagram. “No words for what happened... Just horrific. Praying for everyone,” she wrote.
Some on Twitter criticized Aldean for running off the stage without telling anyone to take cover, but others pointed out he was probably told in his earpiece to leave the stage and didn’t know right away what was happening.