Nurse, local government workers and student among victims identified from across US and Canada as families share grief on social media
A registered nurse from Tennessee. An off-duty Las Vegas police officer. A 35-year-old Californian middle school teacher.
Details of the victims of Sunday nights mass shooting at the Route 91 Harvest Festival in Las Vegas began to emerge on Tuesday, 24 hours after at least 58 people were killed and hundreds more injured in the most deadly mass shooting in modern United States history.
Cameron Robinson
Cameron Robinson
Cameron Robinson was a young city of Las Vegas employee, who was at the festival with his boyfriend, Bobby Eardley, when the popping sounds started.
Eardley recalled on Tuesday, And I just remember being really upset why would somebody set off firecrackers at a venue like this when shootings have happened?
After a second round, Eardley decided it was time for them to move: I remember seeing people sitting on the ground and wondering why they were sitting because they were going to get trampled. And I realized they were bleeding.
Eardley, 36, and Robinson, 28, had been together for four years after meeting on OkCupid; a year ago Robinson moved in with Eardley in St George, Utah. Robinson was a records specialist for the city.
Long before he came to work for the city he gave me his resume, recalled his boss, Las Vegas city attorney Brad Jerbic, and the first thing I remember noticing is that he got his bachelors degree when he was 20 year old that immediately got my attention.
When Jerbic hired him several years ago, his desk ended up being in the center of the office. It was a perfect metaphor, Jerbic said. Robinson organized potlucks, brought food to the office, ran games at the Christmas party.
With Robinson, everything went up a notch. If it was fun it was more fun, if the records were being processed efficiently it was more efficiently.
Robinsons sister, Meghan Ervin, wrote on Facebook: I was never suppose to say good bye to you little brother. You were suppose to take over the world … I love you to the moon and back.
What did Eardley love about him?
Hes my other half. Im the crazy, fly by the seat of your pants hes the straight laced and level headed one … And so many other things. His quirky little smile, his big teeth, his crooked sunglasses so many things.
She leaves behind two adoring beautiful children and an amazing husband. Thank you to everyone for all the support in this past few days. We will dearly miss you, wrote Al Etcheber in a Facebook post.
Her company, Sophia Models, also expressed their condolences. She worked as a model for our agency for over 10 years. She was always a friendly face and had a very caring spirit.
Jordyn Rivera
Jordyn Rivera
Rivera, 21, was a fourth-year student in a healthcare management program at Cal State San Bernardino, and friends described her as a warm, energetic person. In an email to students, university president Toms Morales called her death a devastating loss for the entire CSUSB family.
She passed away so young and she had everything going for her, wrote a family friend who set up a GoFundMe page on her familys behalf.
Carrie Barnette
Carrie Barnette
Barnette was in Las Vegas celebrating a friends 30th birthday, when she was struck with gunfire in the chest. Barnette, 34, worked on the culinary team at Disneyland in Anaheim and the company expressed condolences in a post Tuesday. Our thoughts are with her family, along with our support, during this incredibly difficult time, the post read.
She was a ray of sunshine, Destiny Calderon, a former coworker, told the Orange County Register. She always had a smile. If you had a bad day, she would lift you up.
Thats a sentiment numerous friends shared on her Facebook wall. Your words would dry my tears, your laugh would make me smile, a friend wrote.
She was possibly one of the most beautiful women I have ever seen, with a heart to match, a friend told the Los Angeles Times. She never came across with the diva mentality she easily could have had. She was a devoted mother and wife.
The music festival was a destination for country music fans far and wide, and the reported deaths are likewise, from all over the US and Canada.
His wife, Heather Melton, told WZTV that her husband had shielded her from bullets on the ground when the shooting began. He saved my life and lost his, she said.
A friend of the couple told the Paris (Tennessee) Post-Intelligencer that the two had gotten married about a year ago.
I want everyone to know what a kindhearted loving man he was, but at this point I can barely breathe, Heather Melton wrote to USA Today.
The couple both worked at Henry County medical center in Tennessee, he as a registered nurse, she as an orthopedic surgeon. The thoughts and prayers of the entire HCMC family are with Sonny and Heathers families, the centers chief executive, Thomas Gee, said in a statement.
Jordan McIldoon
Jordan McIldoon
The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation reported that a 23-year-old British Columbia man, Jordan McIldoon, was also among the dead, according to his parents. Another concertgoer posted on Facebook on Sunday night that McIldoon had died in [her] arms.
We only had one child, McIldoons parents told CBC. We just dont know what to do.
Bailey was always the ray of sunshine in our office on a cloudy day, Infinitys chief executive Fred Brakeman told the Times. No one could possibly have a bad day when Bailey was around. If you have ever called or visited our office, she was the perky one that helped direct you to the staff member you needed.
Dana Gardner
Dana Gardner
San Bernardino County officials announced in an email to staff that Dana Gardner, 52, a longtime county employee, had died Monday morning from gunshot wounds sustained in the onslaught. Five other county employees who were also at the concert are said to have been injured.
Bob Dutton, the assessor-recorder-county clerk, told the Sun that Gardner, the deputy recorder, was a go-to person and a dedicated public servant.
Klymchuk worked as an educational assistant, librarian and bus driver for St Stephens School, according to the Edmonton Journal.
Tina Moore, who had worked with Klymchuk, said: She did so much for her children. She went over and above for them.
Klymchuk was in Vegas with her fiance for the music festival.
Quinton Robbins
Quinton Robbins
The first Las Vegas resident identified as a victim was 20-year-old Quinton Robbins, a student at the University of Nevada-Las Vegas.
On Facebook, a woman who identified herself as Robbinss aunt wrote: He was the most kind and loving soul. Everyone who met him loved him. His contagious laugh and smile. He was truly an amazing person.
Rhonda LeRocque, of Tewksbury, Massachusetts, was identified as a victim by relatives. Her family told Boston 25 News that she was with her husband, Jason, when she was shot in the back of the head.
[Her husband] thought she ducked and she didnt she was caught in the back of the head, Rhondas half-sister Jennifer Zelenski said.
Denise Burditus, of Martinsville, West Virginia, was also among the first victims to be identified.
Her husband, who was also at the concert, mourned her on Facebook. It saddens me to say that I lost my wife of 32 years, a mother of two, soon to be grandmother of five this evening in the Las Vegas shooting, Tony Burditus wrote. Denise passed in my arms. I LOVE YOU BABE.
The city of Manhattan Beach, California, lost Sandy Casey, 35, a middle school teacher. A local paper, the Daily Breeze, reported that Casey was a special-education teacher from Redondo Beach, and had attended the Route 91 Harvest festival with a group of fellow teachers, principals and staff members from Manhattan Beach Unified, which shared news of her death in an email to parents.
Casey was engaged to Christopher Willemse, a special-education aide, according to the Daily Breeze. He shared a photo of the couple on Facebook and wrote: As I sit and mourn such a beautiful life gone too fast, all I can say is look up and watch the birds fly high and free today as thats where I feel you smiling down upon all of us. I love you baby girl! Love you to pieces!
Rachel Parker
Rachael Parker
Also of Manhattan Beach, Rachael Parker was a 10-year veteran civilian employee of its police department.
Her mother, Robin Monter, told KXLY, a TV news station in Spokane, that Parker was brilliant and had a heart of gold. She also said her daughter volunteered with the elderly and the homeless.
October 6, 2017
Family and friends pay tribute to Las Vegas shooting victims
by MeDaryl • Cars • Tags: Gun crime, Las Vegas shooting, Tennessee, US news
Nurse, local government workers and student among victims identified from across US and Canada as families share grief on social media
A registered nurse from Tennessee. An off-duty Las Vegas police officer. A 35-year-old Californian middle school teacher.
Details of the victims of Sunday nights mass shooting at the Route 91 Harvest Festival in Las Vegas began to emerge on Tuesday, 24 hours after at least 58 people were killed and hundreds more injured in the most deadly mass shooting in modern United States history.
Cameron Robinson
Cameron Robinson was a young city of Las Vegas employee, who was at the festival with his boyfriend, Bobby Eardley, when the popping sounds started.
Eardley recalled on Tuesday, And I just remember being really upset why would somebody set off firecrackers at a venue like this when shootings have happened?
After a second round, Eardley decided it was time for them to move: I remember seeing people sitting on the ground and wondering why they were sitting because they were going to get trampled. And I realized they were bleeding.
Eardley, 36, and Robinson, 28, had been together for four years after meeting on OkCupid; a year ago Robinson moved in with Eardley in St George, Utah. Robinson was a records specialist for the city.
Long before he came to work for the city he gave me his resume, recalled his boss, Las Vegas city attorney Brad Jerbic, and the first thing I remember noticing is that he got his bachelors degree when he was 20 year old that immediately got my attention.
When Jerbic hired him several years ago, his desk ended up being in the center of the office. It was a perfect metaphor, Jerbic said. Robinson organized potlucks, brought food to the office, ran games at the Christmas party.
With Robinson, everything went up a notch. If it was fun it was more fun, if the records were being processed efficiently it was more efficiently.
Robinsons sister, Meghan Ervin, wrote on Facebook: I was never suppose to say good bye to you little brother. You were suppose to take over the world … I love you to the moon and back.
What did Eardley love about him?
Hes my other half. Im the crazy, fly by the seat of your pants hes the straight laced and level headed one … And so many other things. His quirky little smile, his big teeth, his crooked sunglasses so many things.
Stacee Etcheber
Etcheber was struck and killed while her husband, off-duty San Francisco police officer Vinnie Etcheber, tried to help usher others to safety.
He stood back, he stood back to help those victims that were shot and he stuck with them, he stuck with them all the way to the hospital, officer Etchebers brother Al told ABC San Francisco. When he returned to find his wife, everything was blocked off and she was unaccounted for.
She leaves behind two adoring beautiful children and an amazing husband. Thank you to everyone for all the support in this past few days. We will dearly miss you, wrote Al Etcheber in a Facebook post.
Tara Smith
Smith, 34, was a mother of two from Alberta, Canada and worked as a professional model. She was a beautiful soul. She was a wonderful mother and our family is going to miss her dearly, her aunt Val Rodger told the Toronto Star.
Her company, Sophia Models, also expressed their condolences. She worked as a model for our agency for over 10 years. She was always a friendly face and had a very caring spirit.
Jordyn Rivera
Rivera, 21, was a fourth-year student in a healthcare management program at Cal State San Bernardino, and friends described her as a warm, energetic person. In an email to students, university president Toms Morales called her death a devastating loss for the entire CSUSB family.
She passed away so young and she had everything going for her, wrote a family friend who set up a GoFundMe page on her familys behalf.
Carrie Barnette
Barnette was in Las Vegas celebrating a friends 30th birthday, when she was struck with gunfire in the chest. Barnette, 34, worked on the culinary team at Disneyland in Anaheim and the company expressed condolences in a post Tuesday. Our thoughts are with her family, along with our support, during this incredibly difficult time, the post read.
She was a ray of sunshine, Destiny Calderon, a former coworker, told the Orange County Register. She always had a smile. If you had a bad day, she would lift you up.
Thats a sentiment numerous friends shared on her Facebook wall. Your words would dry my tears, your laugh would make me smile, a friend wrote.
Rocio Guillen Rocha
A longtime cast member at Disneyland who lived in Anaheim, Guillen Rocha gave birth to her fourth child, Austin, just six weeks ago. My heart breaks that you were taken from your babies far too soon, wrote a friend on a GoFundMe started by one of Guillens cousins.
Even though Guillen Rocha was shot, it was reported she managed to climb a fence at the concert venue, but later died at the hospital.
Hannah Ahlers
A 34-year-old mother of three, Hannah and her husband had come to the festival with three other couples. Dave Ahlers, Hannahs father-in-law, confirmed Monday evening to the Las Vegas Review Journal that Hannah had been struck in the head by the gunfire.
She was possibly one of the most beautiful women I have ever seen, with a heart to match, a friend told the Los Angeles Times. She never came across with the diva mentality she easily could have had. She was a devoted mother and wife.
The music festival was a destination for country music fans far and wide, and the reported deaths are likewise, from all over the US and Canada.
Sonny Melton
Sonny Melton, 29, who lived in Big Sandy, Tennessee, and worked at a nearby hospital, was the first victim publicly identified. Family members confirmed to the news station WSMV that he was killed in the gunfire.
His wife, Heather Melton, told WZTV that her husband had shielded her from bullets on the ground when the shooting began. He saved my life and lost his, she said.
A friend of the couple told the Paris (Tennessee) Post-Intelligencer that the two had gotten married about a year ago.
I want everyone to know what a kindhearted loving man he was, but at this point I can barely breathe, Heather Melton wrote to USA Today.
The couple both worked at Henry County medical center in Tennessee, he as a registered nurse, she as an orthopedic surgeon. The thoughts and prayers of the entire HCMC family are with Sonny and Heathers families, the centers chief executive, Thomas Gee, said in a statement.
Jordan McIldoon
The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation reported that a 23-year-old British Columbia man, Jordan McIldoon, was also among the dead, according to his parents. Another concertgoer posted on Facebook on Sunday night that McIldoon had died in [her] arms.
We only had one child, McIldoons parents told CBC. We just dont know what to do.
Bailey Schweitzer
Local outlets in Bakersfield, California, have confirmed with family members that 20-year-old Bailey Schweitzer was killed in the attack. The Los Angeles Times reported that Schweitzer was a receptionist at Infinity Communications and Consulting, a software company in Bakersfield.
Bailey was always the ray of sunshine in our office on a cloudy day, Infinitys chief executive Fred Brakeman told the Times. No one could possibly have a bad day when Bailey was around. If you have ever called or visited our office, she was the perky one that helped direct you to the staff member you needed.
Dana Gardner
San Bernardino County officials announced in an email to staff that Dana Gardner, 52, a longtime county employee, had died Monday morning from gunshot wounds sustained in the onslaught. Five other county employees who were also at the concert are said to have been injured.
Bob Dutton, the assessor-recorder-county clerk, told the Sun that Gardner, the deputy recorder, was a go-to person and a dedicated public servant.
Jessica Klymchuk
Jessica Klymchuk, an Edmonton, Alberta, mother of four, was also confirmed dead in the shooting. In a statement, Albertas premier, Rachel Notley, called the incident an act of violence that is almost beyond comprehension in a time of peace.
Klymchuk worked as an educational assistant, librarian and bus driver for St Stephens School, according to the Edmonton Journal.
Tina Moore, who had worked with Klymchuk, said: She did so much for her children. She went over and above for them.
Klymchuk was in Vegas with her fiance for the music festival.
Quinton Robbins
The first Las Vegas resident identified as a victim was 20-year-old Quinton Robbins, a student at the University of Nevada-Las Vegas.
On Facebook, a woman who identified herself as Robbinss aunt wrote: He was the most kind and loving soul. Everyone who met him loved him. His contagious laugh and smile. He was truly an amazing person.
Rhonda LeRocque
Rhonda LeRocque, of Tewksbury, Massachusetts, was identified as a victim by relatives. Her family told Boston 25 News that she was with her husband, Jason, when she was shot in the back of the head.
[Her husband] thought she ducked and she didnt she was caught in the back of the head, Rhondas half-sister Jennifer Zelenski said.
Denise Burditus
Denise Burditus, of Martinsville, West Virginia, was also among the first victims to be identified.
Her husband, who was also at the concert, mourned her on Facebook. It saddens me to say that I lost my wife of 32 years, a mother of two, soon to be grandmother of five this evening in the Las Vegas shooting, Tony Burditus wrote. Denise passed in my arms. I LOVE YOU BABE.
Sandy Casey
The city of Manhattan Beach, California, lost Sandy Casey, 35, a middle school teacher. A local paper, the Daily Breeze, reported that Casey was a special-education teacher from Redondo Beach, and had attended the Route 91 Harvest festival with a group of fellow teachers, principals and staff members from Manhattan Beach Unified, which shared news of her death in an email to parents.
Casey was engaged to Christopher Willemse, a special-education aide, according to the Daily Breeze. He shared a photo of the couple on Facebook and wrote: As I sit and mourn such a beautiful life gone too fast, all I can say is look up and watch the birds fly high and free today as thats where I feel you smiling down upon all of us. I love you baby girl! Love you to pieces!
Rachael Parker
Also of Manhattan Beach, Rachael Parker was a 10-year veteran civilian employee of its police department.
Her mother, Robin Monter, told KXLY, a TV news station in Spokane, that Parker was brilliant and had a heart of gold. She also said her daughter volunteered with the elderly and the homeless.
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