Las Vegas Shooting: Two Months Later

Mandalay Bay Hotel on November 30th, 2017. [Photo: China Plus]

It's been just over two months since the deadliest mass shooting US history in Las Vegas.

CRI's Liu Kun has travelled to the city to find out how its been recovering, and what impact - if any - the deadly incident has had on gun control in the United States.

The Mandalay Bay Hotel, on the 32nd floor where Stephen Paddock opened fire on an outdoor concert, killing 59 people and wounded more than 500, is back in full operation.

Las Vegas Healing Garden, built by hundreds of volunteers, provides a place of mourning and peace on December 1st, 2017. [Photo: China Plus]

On the surface, Las Vegas remains the city of fun and pleasure it was built upon.

But as you drive around, "Vegas Strong" billboards and graffiti line the freeways, a constant reminder of what the city has been through since October 1st. 

The local government of Clark County, which encompasses Vegas, has established the "Vegas Strong Resiliency Center." 

Las Vegas Healing Garden, built by hundreds of volunteers, provides a place of mourning and peace on December 1st, 2017. [Photo: China Plus]

It's been providing counseling services for the victims and others traumatized by the mass shooting.

Teresa Etcheberry, assistant manager of Clark County's Social Service Department, oversees operations at the Center. 

She says over 200 people have sought out their services. 

"We provide sort of short term emotional support, we provide a lot of resources in the community for whatever needs a person may have. We make sure that those that were at the October One event are signed up for our victims of crime compensation program to make sure that even they may not need services or they don't need anything in the immediate future, that they can still file a claim and then if something does happen along the way, they would still be able to file any medical expenses against their claim."

Las Vegas Healing Garden, built by hundreds of volunteers, provides a place of mourning and peace on December 1st, 2017. [Photo: China Plus]

Memorials for the victims have also been established at the Las Vegas Healing Garden in the city's art district, as well as at the Crosses in Clark County Museum southeast of the city. 

The Garden was built by hundreds of volunteers in roughly three days after the mass shooting. 

The Clark County Museum features 58 white wooden crosses with pictures of those killed.

They were created by a retired carpenter from the northern US city of Chicago, who personally drove them down to Las Vegas after the shooting.

Las Vegas Healing Garden, built by hundreds of volunteers, provides a place of mourning and peace on December 1st, 2017. [Photo: China Plus]

Mark Hamelmann owns a landscaping company in Las Vegas, and helped create the Healing Garden.

"You know a gentleman that I've met today, his wife was shot and killed and we were crying together. It's just emotional. He has little baby girl, probably not even two years old. And he's gonna run the 5k race tomorrow for the victims and he's gonna race it with her. You know we were busy here, but once you stop, you get very emotional. I can't stop because I start to cry." 

Mark Hamelmann, Lisa Read, Chad Read and Andre King were among the hundreds of volunteers who built Las Vegas Healing Garden. [Photo: China Plus]

Chad Read owns a tile company which also volunteered its services at the Garden.

Fighting back tears, Read says its been an emotional two months for him. 

"Unfortunately it takes a tragedy in our community to show that how awesome Las Vegas is. This is an amazing city, not just about all the hangovers in the casinos. I think it's made us totally more stronger. I think we are more aware. I think the people in the community feel a sense of community and comradery." 

The Crosses, a wooden tribute to the victims of Vegas Shooting, hand made by Chicago-area retired carpenter Greg Zanis, is now stored at Clark County Museum. [Photo: China Plus]

While the healing process takes place in Las Vegas, questions still persist around the rest of the United States and beyond about whether deadly incidents like this will prompt action on gun control.

Most of the people I met have been reluctant to touch upon the issue. 

Visitors mourned at The Crosses at Clark County Museum on December 1st, 2017. [Photo: China Plus]

And those who are willing to discuss gun control admit they don't see much likelyhood of anything happening.

"Not at all. It will be the same major reaction everybody has when they come out. I think it wasn't even an hour and here we go with the debate on gun control. And the politicians, you know you can count on them for hitting that button. So I think it's more of political advantage."

Thoughts written down by visitors on a mourning book at The Crosses in Clark County Museum on December 1st, 2017. [Photo: China Plus]

The non-profit Gun Violence Archive has calculated there have been over 300 mass shootings - shootings involving four or more people - so far THIS YEAR in the United States.

Conservative estimates put the number of gun deaths in the US at over 11-thousand per year.