Local concert-goers describe Las Vegas shooting scene

Local valley concert goers are describing the scene of the Sunday night mass shooting in Las Vegas that left at least 58 people dead and some 500+ people injured.

Andi Mallen of La Quinta, said she was at the concert as country singer Jason Aldean was performing when the shots rang out.

“What we heard first was what we thought were fireworks, firecrackers,” she said. “Within seconds, there was this pop pop pop pop. People started running, yelling shots fired.”

Mallen said he husband was a former law enforcement officer and yelled at their group to get down. She said no one was hurt in her group but did see scores of injured concert-goers as she ran from the concert venue. Mallen said first responders quickly descended upon the Las Vegas Strip.

“Las Vegas Boulevard was shut down, the 15 freeway was shut down,” she said. “All the hotels were put on lockdown. Very very frightening. Lots of wounded people, hysterical people.”

Indio woman emotional after witnessing carnage in shooting aftermath

Leticia Casillas was with family and friends at the concert when the shots rang out. She said while everyone was safe, she realized what was going on and became horrified.

“There were just bodies everywhere,” she said. It was just terrible…it was terrible. I had only known before…they were pushing the girl to she if she was okay and I looked up and I could actually see the lights from the windows of Mandalay Bay but I didn’t know what it was….and it was just terrible.”

Casillas said she and her group were shaken up as they were escaping and crawling, but were relieved they were able to get out.

“We got bruises and stuff, but other than that, we’re blessed,” she said. “We’re here. We’re good.”

Local hospital worker tries to help injured concert-goers

Ashley Galaviz of La Quinta was also at the concert. As she began running from the gunfire, she tried to help an woman who was shot laying on the floor.

“Everybody in the venue just started running for their lives,” she said. “I looked to my right and about five feet from me, there was a young lady laying on the ground with two men over her. She had been shot in the face.”

Galaviz said she felt compelled to help, especially since she was a local hospital worker.

“Initially when I saw the young lady on the ground, my instinct was to run over to her,” Galaviz said. “I ran over to her and I just let her know you know, I work at a hospital, I know CPR and I just threw my hands over the top of her face. I didn’t know exactly where. She had a flannel shirt over her face, and my husband just kept saying we need to get out of here.

Indio man describes gunfire coming from Mandalay Bay

Kevin Haerr of Indio described the scene as being “like a warzone” when the automatic gunfire started.

“This was repetitive, pow pow pow pow pow…until he ran out of ammunition, and then another round of that, and then another round of that,” he said.

Haerr said he and his wife were among the last people to get out of the concert venue, and said the area was like a ghost town as they tried to make their way back to Coachella Valley.

“Just a hand full of cars on the freeway and you could see the cars stopped above and below,” he said.

Desert Hot Springs Police Chief reacts to Las Vegas shooting

Police Chief Dale Mondary says the tragedy hits close to home, especially since there were a number of his friends and former co-workers who were at the festival.

He said he immediately reached out to them, and said they are all safe and sound.

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Stay with News Channel 3 and CBS Local 2 as we continue to get more reaction from local residents at the concert.