NEW VEGAS FOOTAGE: Exclusive Analysis From Laura Loomer
Laura Loomer
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On Wednesday, the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department released the 6th round of released information related to the October 1 shooting massacre on June 13th. The release came a day after Sherriff Joe Lombardo retained his position as Clark County Sherriff by majority vote rule.
This rule falls under Nevada State law where nonpartisan municipal races can be decided in a primary if a candidate received more than 50 percent of the votes.
A day prior to the election, an exclusive report revealed details of an email sent by Sheriff Joe Lombardo to all employees in the LVMPD department warning of the upcoming body camera footage release and what details would be divulged.
The email stated that the footage had been redacted in accordance with the Order of the District Court, however it did not allow for redaction of personal conversation or text messages that were displayed on cell phones.
CAUTION: This is footage taken immediately in the aftermath of a mass shooting. Viewer discretion is advised.
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There were 28 video files of body worn camera footage released, along with 500 audio files. The body worn camera video files range in length of time from as short as approximately 15 seconds such as #20, which was also previously released on May 2, 2018. This video is of Officer Newton’s body camera as it came loose and went tumbling down the stairwell shortly before the room 32-135 breach. The longest video file is a little over 2 hours long.
There was no explanation given on the varying length of each video, or why there is no continuous coverage of what took place that night, as most officer reports reflect all were on duty covering multiple assignments related to the shooting well into the following day.
As the night unfolds in the varying angles of the body cameras, the terror, confusion, and panic is very surreal. As police rush to the scene, they are faced with incredible challenges while trying to assess the scene, identifying which victims need life-saving medical intervention, all while frantically searching where the shooter or shooters were located.
Many police officers, first responders, and civilians were proven to be heroes that night as their efforts to save lives were captured on this footage. Some of those moments are shown in the following videos, however viewer discretion is advised. Some of the language and images may be disturbing for some viewers.
In Body Cam #15, two officers rush to the scene as they are made aware of the shooting over the radio. There are multiple alerts sounding over their radio, along with alarmed broadcasts of an active shooter in the concert venue, “Units be advised, it is automatic fire, fully automatic fire coming from an elevated position. Take cover.”
They arrive, weapons drawn, and are met with injured concert goers and the sounds of gunshots ringing in the air. They are approached with a victim who is in desperate need of immediate medical attention, with a gunshot wound to the head. Without hesitation, they immediately rush the injured woman to their vehicle to transport her to UMC (University Medical Center of Southern Nevada), in a valiant attempt to save her life.
In video #27, there are a few silent moments as the initial sound appears to be disabled, you see a couple of uniformed officers inside the concert venue, interacting with concert goers and enjoying the concert. In a matter of seconds, there is a large commotion in the crowd behind them, and then chaos ensues. The officers immediately respond by moving towards the danger, courageously trying to identify the location of the threat.
As the officers maneuver through the terrified screams, gunfire continues to ring through the air. The officer wearing the body camera comes across an injured woman and assists in moving her to safety and medical attention by carrying her over his shoulders with the help other concert goers. He rushes to the aid of another more seriously wounded victim located in this area, using a belt as a tourniquet, loading the victim into their vehicle and rushing to the hospital.
In body cam #8, the imminent threat of that night is undeniable while watching this footage. The officers are again rushing to the scene, listening to the radio updates of multiple gunshot victims and continuous gunfire. As they hear reports of the shots coming from The Mandalay Bay, they drive directly into the line of fire.
As the vehicle approaches, you can hear the shots echoing in the background. There seems to be gunfire from a distance, and then more shots fired in their immediate vicinity. A group of police officers take cover behind their vehicles as bullets rain down on the street and the venue, screams of possible victims heard. The camera cuts off unexpectedly at 5 minutes, 47 seconds. It is unknown why the camera footage was cut off.
Another body camera that seems to cut off rather suddenly is #3, with only a duration of 1 minute and 1 second. The officer wearing the body cam seems to be inside the medical tent which was in the concert venue, located near Gate 4A. You can see another officer in the medical tent with him, along with a woman that seems to be handcuffed in a chair. As the door opens and you can hear the gunfire. There is no reaction seen by either officer, security, or concert goers located in the tent, indicating that the shots had just started.
In video #1, officers arrive to an area near The Mandalay Bay in order to stage and form their strike teams. It appears the body cam may be worn by a newer officer, as he struggles to hook up his gear. Dozens of officers form lines and are assigned numbers for their teams. While waiting in line, the officer wearing the camera engages in a conversation with another officer about what radio communication they should be using. He also questions if a teammate has a rifle, stating after this event “they will make it mandatory”, saying “they kept pushing it off until something *** bad happens”. The inference refers to the need for rifle training prior to being able to carry one in the line of duty.
The longest video of the latest release, video #2, is a little over 2 hours. While this camera cuts off unexpectedly as all the others, it showcases some incredibly brave civilians alongside law enforcement officers who do not hesitate to stay behind amidst mass gunfire to assist those in need. The first 15 minutes of the body camera view is obstructed by the nylon vest the police officer is wearing, however the location of the officer inside the venue is apparent with the sounds of panic and terror piercing the night as you hear the rapid fire. The view becomes unobstructed and there are dozens of people crouching in fear all over the ground. This two-man team is separated as they maneuver through the crowd trying to provide help and protection where they are able.
The officer with the bodycam is approached by several concert goers, some who are off duty first responders and law enforcement, who are more than willing to stay and put themselves in harm’s way to help the wounded and assist in a plan for the fatalities and evacuations. There is a heart wrenching scene of putting a wounded victim into a wheelbarrow to get him out of the venue quickly. A group of officers gather together in the venue and formulate a plan to clear the venue.
You can almost feel the anxiety and concern as you observe the officers and their actions. The emotions they had to deal with outside of their own was a heroic job in and of itself. And when the burden seems to overwhelm them for a moment, there are brave civilians right by their sides to support them, provide water, and continue to help despite the risk.
In this same video, law enforcement officers are tasked with moving the performers from the concert and their families from their tour busses to a safe location, to include a baby. You can hear the officer say, “If there is fire, give me the baby, I can put them under my vest”. Another 4-man team was in contact with Jason Aldean and his crew for evacuation from his tour bus. Concern and frustration rose to the surface as the plan for moving the performer and his team was discussed due to lack of rank and experience on behalf of the lead in charge of the evacuation.
Towards the end of the video, you can hear the officer call a loved one to let them know he is okay. True heroism is shown here as this man in his uniform sheds a tear for those who lost their lives that night, yet fights through his emotion to get back to work to continue to protect and serve. His body camera comes to an end shortly after, without any evidence of turning the camera off or equipment default.
In many of the videos you can hear references to difficulty getting on a radio channel, confusion on what channel communication was on, lack of training for weapons needed to face events such as this, and apparent lack of organization and leadership in evacuation and emergency/disaster plans, which may have contributed to the time lapse in a plan of action in entering the shooter’s room sooner, all of which fall on proper leadership. Yet, despite these many challenges, the body camera clips released give the public a chance to see the incredible effort by both first responders and civilians alike.
There are many stories of heroism and bravery yet to tell as we continue to bring you full unedited footage of additional videos released from that night, as well as the unexplainable attempts to prevent any footage from being seen.
This is an ongoing series covering the October 1 Las Vegas shooting event and we will continue to keep you updated.
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