Brits in Las Vegas urged to declare themselves safe after mass shooting
The Foreign Office is urging UK travellers in Las Vegas to let someone know they are safe following the gun massacre at an open-air music festival in which at least 59 people are now known to have died.
More than 527 others were injured when the gunman opened fire from the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay Hotel in Las Vegas on festival goers nearby, in the worst mass shooting in recent American history.
The FCO said a number of flights have been diverted from Las Vegas McCarran International Airport and passengers should check with their airline before travelling.
A dedicated telephone line for anyone concerned about missing individuals in the area has been set up by the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department (LVMPD) on +1 866 535 5654.
The LVMPD has also opened a family reunification centre at its headquarters in Building B, 400 S. Martin L. King Blvd.
The FCO statement added: "If you’re in the affected area, we recommend that you contact family and friends to let them know you’re safe."
Parts of the Las Vegas strip were shut down and flights were suspended and diverted in light of the incident, which took place at around 22:30 (05:30 GMT). Police urged people to stay away from the area.
The suspect, Stephen Paddock, 64, has been killed. Reports say he killed himself as police approached the hotel room, which he had checked into on September 28.
Las Vegas Sheriff Joseph Lombardo said investigators had found more than 10 rifles in the hotel room.
Reports say people had been sheltering in hotels, restaurants and at Las Vegas McCarran airport.
The country music festival had begun on Friday and was taking place at several hotels on the Las Vegas strip.
Lisa
Lisa joined Travel Weekly nearly 25 years ago as technology reporter and then sailed around the world for a couple of years as cruise correspondent, before becoming deputy editor. Now freelance, Lisa writes for various print and web publications, edits Corporate Traveller’s client magazine, Gateway, and works on the acclaimed Remembering Wildlife series of photography books, which raise awareness of nature’s most at-risk species and helps to fund their protection.
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