Jake Owen Recounts Route 91 Festival Shooting From Side-Stage
Jake Owen was side-stage as shots began to ring out during Jason Aldean's performance at the Route 91 Harvest Festival in Las Vegas on Sunday night (Oct. 1). The singer was able to give a horrific firsthand account of events.
His team is safe, having taken cover on his tour bus. Thus far 50 are confirmed dead and hundreds injured as a result of a four-minute-long shooting from the 32nd floor of the nearby Mandalay Bay Casino. Owen says he could hear shots ringing off the stage rigging before he ran to take cover.
Checking In With All Route 91 Harvest Fest Sunday Performers
There was "chaos and fear in everyone's eyes" he tells CNN.
"This sounded like a full-on, automatic rifle just unloading at that point," he says to the Bobby Bones Show. "Jason was out on the catwalk, he just pulled his guitar up in the air and started running back towards the drum set to get off the stage. And that's when you knew. People started fleeing. I've never seen anything like this before."
Owen further theorized that Aldean's in-ear monitors may have prevented him from hearing the gunshots, and that someone may have told him to get off the stage. Aldean issued an overnight Instagram statement in which he reported that he, his wife and his team are safe.
"My thoughts and prayers go out to everyone involved tonight," Aldean says. "It hurts my heart that this would happen to anyone who was just coming out to enjoy what should have been a fun night."
Sadly, This Tragedy Isn't Without Precedent
More From 107.7 WGNA
![Country Superstar Duo Announces 2 New York Summer Concerts](http://townsquare.media/site/81/files/2023/06/attachment-Untitled-design-2023-06-14T121916.852.jpg?w=980&q=75)
![Jason Aldean Marks Fifth Anniversary of Las Vegas Shootings: ‘It’s Still a Rough Day’](http://townsquare.media/site/204/files/2021/10/attachment-jason-aldean-route-91-anniversary.jpg?w=980&q=75)
![Luke Combs on Route 91 Fest’s Likely Return: ‘I Think It’s a Really Good Thing’](http://townsquare.media/site/204/files/2018/06/Luke-Combs-She-Got.jpg?w=980&q=75)
![Security Guard Who Found Las Vegas Shooter Breaks His Silence on ‘Ellen’](http://townsquare.media/site/204/files/2017/10/Las-Vegas-Heroes.jpg?w=980&q=75)
![Jason Aldean, Chris Stapleton, Keith Urban + More Cover Tom Petty’s ‘I Won’t Back Down’ [Watch]](http://townsquare.media/site/204/files/2017/10/chris-stapleton-keith-urban-jason-aldean-cmt-artists-of-the-year.jpg?w=980&q=75)
![Lauren Alaina Vows Not to ‘Let Fear Overpower Love’ After Las Vegas Shooting](http://townsquare.media/site/204/files/2017/10/lauren-alaina-las-vegas-shooting-reaction.jpg?w=980&q=75)
![Las Vegas Nurse Saves Man in Wheelchair During Shooting: The Story Behind the Photo](http://townsquare.media/site/204/files/2017/10/beckerimage.jpg?w=980&q=75)
![Eric Church Shares New Song for Vegas Victims in Tearful Return to the Stage [Watch]](http://townsquare.media/site/204/files/2017/10/eric-church-opry-sonny-melton-tribute.jpg?w=980&q=75)
![Good Samaritan Reunites Mom With Child After Separation During Route 91 Shooting](http://townsquare.media/site/204/files/2017/10/aden-.png?w=980&q=75)