Vegas shooting surreal to most, too real for those in the city

Mass shooting left one man questioning if his co-workers, friends were alive

The perspectives often seen from the Las Vegas massacre are from outside sources. And for those reading and watching the story unfold, it can almost seem surreal.

For John Shaffer, the program director for KDWN radio in Las Vegas, who has covered tragedies before, this one is all too real.

“911, the Orland shooting, the Oklahoma City bombing — all things that were very tragic,” Shaffer said on WIZM Tuesday. “But, I didn’t know anybody that was in any of those places.

“This, I came into work Monday morning not knowing if seven of my co-workers were alive or dead because they were at the concert.”

Shaffer says the first 15 hours covering the shooting were the worst for him, as he saw the number of victims start out at two dead and rapidly rise to over 50.

If anything positive emerges from Sunday night’s mass shooting, it could be possible improvements in security.

Shaffer talked of how Las Vegas hotels and casinos could take it upon themselves to develop new techniques for screening people, who might bring weapons to their businesses.

“I’m sure security is going to get a little tougher,” Shaffer said. “The private-industry aspect of it may be able to get a better grasp on what to do in that aspect, than the government would be able to.”

Shaffer added that since police have discovered about 50 guns owned by shooter Stephen Paddock, it’s believed he was planning the attack for some time.