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Las Vegas Victim Called a Hero, Survives Gunshot to the Neck After Saving 30 Concertgoers
One victim is being called a hero after his actions saved several people during the tragic mass shooting in Las Vegas on Sunday night. Jonathan Smith survived a gunshot wound to the neck while saving a reported 30 concertgoers at the Route 91 Harvest Country Music Festival — and his photo is going viral thanks to his bravery.
Jonathan, 30, attended the event to celebrate his brother’s birthday along with nine other family members. When the shooting started during the Jason Aldean concert, Jonathan thought it was fireworks until he saw Jason run off the stage. That is when he quickly told his family to hold hands and run. While the group was ultimately separated, that did not stop Jonathan from running back to grab people and lead them to a handicap parking lot where they crouched behind parked cars.
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
It was when he was trying to move a group of girls to safety that he got shot in the neck. “I couldn’t feel anything in my neck. There was a warm sensation in my arm,” he told the Washington Post. He also suffered a fractured collarbone, a cracked rib, and a bruised lung. “I might have to live with this bullet for the rest of my life,” he added.
He was later able to reconnect with his family, who all, fortunately, survived the tragedy. While Jonathan quickly went viral on social media and Reddit for his actions, he does not consider himself to be a hero. “I don’t see myself that way,” he said. “I would want someone to do the same for me. No one deserves to lose a life coming to a country festival.”
Jonathan himself was saved by an off-duty San Diego police officer, who tried to stop the bleeding and was able to flag down a passing truck that drove Jonathan, and several other wounded victims, to the hospital. “I really didn’t want to die,” Jonathan said. For those looking to locate missing loved ones, call 1-866-535-5654.
