REALLY APPRECIATE YOU CALLING IN THIS MORNING.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >> THANK YOU.
>> LET'S GO TO NBC NEWS ANALYST SHAWN HENRY WHO HAS BEEN
WATCHING THIS. WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS?
WE HAVE THE NAME OF A SUSPECT? A HIGH-POWERED WEAPON.
SOMEONE WHO CHOSE A VANTAGE POINT, INNOCENT VICTIMS WATCHING
A CONCERT. >> IT'S THE STATE OF THIS
COUNTRY GOING FORWARD, FROM A SECURITY PERSPECTIVE, WHEN I
THINK ABOUT THIS, WE HAVE TO THINK ABOUT WHAT WAS THE
MOTIVATION OF THIS MAN? WHY DID HE DO THIS?
IS HE ENGAGED WITH OTHER ACCOMPLICES?
IS THERE A WIDER CONSPIRACY? POLICE OFFICERS HAVE TO GET
CREDIT HERE. TRYING TO IDENTIFY WHERE THIS
PERSON IS IN A HIGH-RISE. THERE'S A LARGE OPEN AREA WHERE
THIS CONCERT WAS. AND MULTIPLE VENUES WHERE THE
SHOOTING COULD HAVE TAKEN PLACE. YOU HAVE THE MGM, THE LUXOR
HOTELS, ALL THESE HOTELS, 30-PLUS FLOORS.
FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT TO IDENTIFY WHERE HE WAS, TO TRY TO NARROW
THAT DOWN, AND IDENTIFY THE PERSPECTIVE OF WHERE THE SHOTS
ARE COMING AND OTHER LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS ARE TRYING
TO EVACUATE PEOPLE OUT OF THE AREA AND THEN TO GAIN ACCESS TO
THAT SPACE AND DO A DYNAMIC ENTRY.
WE HEAR THE LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS DO AN EXPLOSIVE BREACH,
IT'S A DYNAMIC ENTRY. THEIR PRIMARY CONCERN IS
STOPPING THE SHOOTING TO PROTECT THOSE PEOPLE.
>> THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO ENCOUNTER.
THEY DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S MORE THAN ONE EXPLOSIVES OR ONE MORE
THAN ONE SHOOTER. >> THEY USE THE EXPLOSION.
A DIVERSION, A LOT OF LOUD SOUNDS.
LIGHT. IT'S A DIVERT THE PERSON, KNOCK
THEM OFFTARGET AND TO ELIMINATE THIS THREAT.
>> BILL BRATTON JUST CAME IN, FORMER NEW YORK CITY POLICE
COMMISSIONER. WE HAVE BIG EVENTS, LIKE THE
TREE LIGHTING. AND WHEN POLICE IN NEW YORK,
EXPECT A GATHERING, A LARGE OUTDOOR GATHERING OF A CROWD
LIKE THIS, THEY DO PRELIMINARY OVERVIEWS OF THE AREA TO MAKE
SURE THEY KNOW WHAT COULD HAPPEN FROM DIFFERENT AREAS.
WOULD THAT HAVE HAPPENED IN LAS VEGAS?
>> LAS VEGAS, LIKE NEW YORK, IS EVENTS LIKE THIS GOING ON ALL
THE TIME. THE EVENT LAST NIGHT, THE
PROTOCOLS IN LAS VEGAS CONCERT
PROMOTERS HAVE TO HIRE ONE OFF-DUTY POLICE OFFICER FOR EACH
1,000 PEOPLE ATTENDING THE CONCERT.
LAS VEGAS BENEFITS FROM THE FACT OF HAVING A FULL-TIME S.W.A.T.
UNIT. THERE'S A UNIT ALL THE TIME.
THE QUICK RESPONSE IN LAS VEGAS, LARGE DEPARTMENT, VERY GOOD
RESPONSE TO THIS EVENT. >> TALK ABOUT THE DIFFICULTY OF
GOING INTO A CROWDED HOTEL, AS A S.W.A.T. TEAM, AND LOCATING THE
ROOM THAT YOU BELIEVE THE GUNFIRE IS COMING FROM.
THAT'S LOUD. THAT COULD BE ONE OF SEVERAL
ROOMS ON A FLOOR. AND CARRYING OUT THE MISSION
THEY DID. >> I STAYED AT THE MANDALAY.
IT'S A HUGE HOTEL. THE QUICK IDENTIFICATION OF THE
LOCATION AND GETTING A UNIT UP THERE WAS JUST DESCRIBED.
WE HAVE THE RADIO TRANSMISSIONS THAT WERE HEARD THIS MORNING.
THOSE OFFICERS DID A PHENOMENAL JOB.
ONE LOCATING THE INDIVIDUAL AND, TWO, MAKING THAT ENTRY AND
TAKING HIM OUT AS FAST AS THEY DID.
FORTUNATELY, NONE OF THE OFFICERS GOING IN APPEARED TO BE
HURT IN THE EXCHANGE. THE MAN WAS HEAVILY ARMED.
>> AND WHAT EVERYONE IS RESPONDING ABOUT, IS THE
GUNFIRE. PEOPLE THAT HAVE HEARD IT SAID
THAT IS ABAUTOMATIC WEAPON. AND THE CALIBER.
YOU GO BACK, 300 FEET, THE DISTANCE.
AND TO THE ABLE TO INFLICT THAT KIND OF DAMAGE, SHAWN.
WHAT KIND OF WEAPON ARE WE TALKING ABOUT?
>> IT COULD BE MULTIPLE WEAPONS. 9 MILLIMETER OR 10 MILLIMETER,
PERHAPS. BUT RAINING THOSE SHOTS DOWN
FROM 300 YARDS AWAY, PERHAPS, THAT PERSON IS LIKELY SPRAYING
ACROSS THE ENTIRE CROWD. AND THERE'S PEOPLE THAT'S GOING
TO BE HIT INDIINDISCRIMINATELY. WAS HE TRYING TO HIT THE
PERFORMER ON STAGE? OR WAS HE TRYING TO INFLICT
DAMAGE? WITH THE AMOUNTS SHOTS THAT WERE
FIRED, THIS WAS INTENDED FOR MASS CASUALTY.
>> BILL, YOU KNOW IN YOUR MIND WHAT THE WEAPON LOOKS LIKE.
AND WE TALKED ABOUT THE LAST COUPLE OF HOURS, EVERYBODY THAT
WALKS INTO THE HOTEL, HAS A SUITCASE.
>> THERE'S NO PROBLEM MOVING A WEAPON ALONGDISASSEMBLE, CAN BE
BACK TOGETHER AGAIN. ON THE WAY OVER, I WAS ON THE
PHONE WITH A SENIOR LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIAL IN VEGAS,
WHOSE DAUGHTER WAS AT THAT EVENT.
HE SAID HIS DAUGHTER WAS TOTALLY TRAUMATIZED.
HE IS A LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIAL, FAMILIAR WITH WHAT'S
GOING ON. HE THOUGHT HIS DAUGHTER MIGHT BE
ONE OF HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE IN THIS ISSUE.
>> YOU THINK ABOUT HOW MANY TIMES WE TALK ABOUT MASS
SHOOTINGS, WHETHER THAT'S A FEW PEOPLE OR DOZENS.
BUT NOW, YOU LOOK AT THESE NUMBERS AND YOU HEAR AT LEAST 50
WITH MANY MORE IN CRITICAL CONDITION AT THE LOCAL LEVEL ONE
TRAUMA CENTER. AND IT'S HARD TO GET YOUR ARMS
AROUND THIS. >> IF YOU WILL STAY WITH US, WE
WANT TO TURN NOW, WE HAVE ANOTHER WITNESS ON THE PHONE,
RUSSELL BLACK, WHO WAS THERE. RUSSELL, GOOD MORNING TO YOU.
I'M GLAD YOU'RE SAFE AND ABLE TO TALK TO US.
CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT WHAT YOU SAW AND EXPERIENCED?
>> THANK YOU. THAT WAS ABSOLUTE CHAOS.
WHOEVER THE SHOOTER WAS, WAS JUST SPRAYING THE CROWD.
SAW PEOPLE DROPPING LEFT AND RIGHT.
I'M LOOKING AT THE FOOTAGE NOW FOR THE FIRST TIME.
IT'S HARD TO PROCESS WHAT JUST HAPPENED.
>> WHERE WERE YOU WHEN THIS SHOOTING STARTED?
>> WE WERE IN THE V.I.P. TENT, WHICH IS DIRECTLY FACING THE
MANDALAY BAY. I'M GUESSING THAT'S WHERE MOST
OF THE CARNAGE HAPPENED, OVER WHERE WE WERE.
AFTER THE FIRST FEW BURSTS, IT SOUNDED LIKE FIRECRACKERS OR
LIKE AN AMP CRACKLING. JASON ALDEAN HAD JUST STARTED
PLAYING. I WAS SHOOTING VIDEO OF HIS
PERFORMANCE. AND I WAS THINKING, THAT SOUNDS
LIKE AN AR-15. AND SURE ENOUGH, IT WAS AN
AUTOMATIC RIFLE, WITHOUT A DOUBT.
HE WAS SPRAYING THE CROWD. HE WAS RELENTLESS.
FIVE, EIGHT SECONDS, TO MOVE AND GET OUT OF THERE AS HE RELOADED.
>> DID YOU SEE THE WOUNDED, RUSSELL?
DID YOU SEE PEOPLE WHO HAD BEEN INJURED?
>> IT WAS EVERYWHERE. I SAW PEOPLE -- THANK GOD IT WAS
A COUNTRY CONCERT. YOU SAW EXMILITARY JUMP INTO
GEAR. GUYS WERE PLUGGING BULLET HOLES
WITH THEIR FINGERS. I SAW POLICE OFFICERS STANDSING
UP AS TARGETS, JUST TRYING TO DIRECT PEOPLE, TELLING THEM
WHERE TO GO. THE AMOUNT OF BRAVERY I SAW
THERE -- WORDS CAN'T DESCRIBE WHAT WAS LIKE.
THERE WERE TEN-FOOT WALLS BOXING EVERYBODY IN.
WE COULDN'T ESCAPE. >> HOW DID YOU GET OUT, RUSSELL?
>> TEN MINUTES, FIVE MINUTES, UNDER BLEACHERS.
COVER-TO-COVER. WAITED UNTIL HE RELOADED AND
MOVED. JUST TRYING TO GET OUT OF THERE.
ONE WAY IN, AND ONE WAY OUT. AND THE GUNMAN HAD THAT
BOTTLENECKED. WE ESCAPED TO THE SIDE WHERE ALL
OF THE FOOD TRUCKS WERE ENTERING AND EXITING.
THROUGH THE POLICE CHECKPOINT. >> I CAN'T IMAGINE EXPERIENCING
WHAT YOU DID. COULD YOU TELL, ESPECIALLY AT
FIRST, WHERE THE GUNFIRE WAS COMING FROM?
IT MUST HAVE FELT LIKE IT WAS ALL AROUND YOU.
>> YEAH. I COULD HEAR IT GOING THROUGH
THE TENT FLAPS AND STUFF. AND WE COULD FEEL IT RICOCHET
OFF THE GROUND. WHAT WAS INTERESTING, I'M FROM
KENTUCKY. I'VE BEEN AROUND GUN GUNS MY WH
LIFE. THE GUY WAS SO FAR AWAY, YOU DID
NOT KNOW WHERE THE SHOTS WERE COMING FROM.
AND IT WOULD ECHO THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE AREA.
NOBODY KNEW WHERE TO GO. AND A COUPLE PEOPLE WOULD RUN
AWAY FROM A SAFE AREA, BUT YOU DIDN'T KNOW IF IT WAS SAFE.
THERE WAS NO -- IT WAS ABSOLUTE CHAOS AND CARNAGE.
>> RUSSELL, STAND WITH US FOR A SECOND.
I WANT TO ASK OUR GUESTS HERE ABOUT SOMETHING YOU JUST SAID,
COMMISSIONER OR SHAWN. HE SAID, IT SEEMED LIKE THERE
WERE ONLY FIVE TO EIGHT-SECOND SILENCES BETWEEN THE GUNFIRE.
TALK ABOUT YOUR KNOWLEDGE OF LOADING AND UNLOADING A MAGAZINE
FROM A WEAPON LIKE THAT. DOES THAT INDICATED THIS GUY HAD
PRACTICED THIS AND HAD TRAINING? >> IT SEEMS LIKE HE WAS FAMILIAR
WITH THE WEAPONRY HE WAS CARRYING.
IT ONLY TAKES THREE TO FIVE SECONDS TO REMOVE A CLIP AND PUT
ANOTHER ONE IN. IT WILL BE INTERESTING TO SEE
THE TYPE OF AMMUNITION. THE TYPE OF AMMUNITION IS
CRITICAL HERE, IN THE SENSE OF THE INJURIES THAT ARE BEING
DESCRIBED, TYPICAL MILITARY STYLE CARTRIDGE CAN CAUSE
INCREDIBLE DAMAGE. >> WHEN YOU HEAR HIM, RUSSELL,
TALKING ABOUT POLICE OFFICERS STANDING IN THE LINE OF FIRE,
TALKING ABOUT THE PEOPLE THAT HAD FALLEN VICTIM TO YOU, IS
PROBABLY NOT SURPRISING TO YOU? >> NOT SURPRISING AND REFLECTIVE
OF WHAT I WAS HEARING FROM MY COLLEAGUE DOWN IN LAS VEGAS IN
TERMS OF WHAT HIS DAUGHTER WAS SEEING.
>> RUSSELL, HAVE YOU MADE CONTACT WITH EVERYONE YONE YOU
WITH IN THAT CONCERT? >> YES.
ABOUT AN HOUR AND AN HOUR AND A HALF LATER, WE GOT IN CONTACT
WITH EVERYBODY. A FEW FRIENDS AND ACQUAINTANCES
THAT WE KNOW ARE IN THE HOSPITAL.
THEY WERE HIT. WE DON'T KNOW THE CONDITION.
THERE'S NOT A PERSON IN LAS VEGAS THAT'S NOT AFFECTED BY
THIS IN SOME WAY. WE'RE A CLOSE-KNIT COMMUNITY.
GOD BLESS THE POLICE OFFICERS. IN A WORLD WHERE EVERYONE IS
KNEELING, THESE GUYS STOOD UP. THEY KNEW WHAT THEY WERE
AGAINST. AND THEY RAN TOWARD THE DANGER.
THAT'S REAL BRAVERY RIGHT THERE. >> IT IS.
>> THEY SAY -- THERE'S NO TELLING HOW MANY THEY SAVED.
EVERY SECOND WAS A LIFE LOST. AND HE WAS JUST SPRAYING THE
CROWD, TENS OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE.
HE FIRED INTO THAT CROWD. YOU WERE GOING TO HIT SOMETHING.
TOTAL -- MAKES ME SO SICK. >> HOLD ON, RUSSELL.
SHAWN? >> I'M THINKING ABOUT THE ROUNDS
AND THE CASUALTIES THAT WERE INFLICTED HERE.
I MENTIONED 9 MILLIMETER OR 10 MILLIMETER.
THOSE ARE TACTICAL ROUNDS ON THE S.W.A.T. TEAM.
BUT MILITARY GRADE, THOSE BULLETS, ROUNDS, HAVE THE
CAPACITY TO GO THROUGH MULTIPLE PEOPLE.
THE 9 MILLILITER AND 10 MILLIMETER THAT LAW ENFORCEMENT
USES, YOU WANT TO MAKE SURE THEY DON'T GO THROUGH SHEET ROCK AND
GO THROUGH ROOMS. BUT THIS PARTICULAR CASE, AN
AR-15 OR ANOTHER MILITARY GRADE WEAPON, THOSE ROUNDS WOULD HAVE
BEEN ABLE TO GO THROUGH MULTIPLE PEOPLE.
>> RUSSELL, OUR EYEWITNESS, WHO HAS JUST EXPERIENCED SOMETHING
UNIMAGINABLE, I HOPE YOU WILL STAY WITH US.
WE'RE THINKING OF YOU AND SENDING OUR PRAYERS AND SO GLAD
YOU WERE ABLE TO MENTION THE BRAVERY OF SO MANY PEOPLE IN
THAT CROWD. IT BEARS HIGHLIGHTING AND
REPEATING. WE SEND O