Country stars Carrie Underwood, Luke Bryan express shock, heartbreak after Las Vegas shooting

The shooting occurred at Route 91 Harvest, a three-day festival featuring country music’s most popular acts. Singers Eric Church, Sam Hunt, and Jason Aldean each headlined a different night of the show.

Aldean was performing when the gunman, 64-year-old Stephen Paddock, opened fire on the crowd of 22,000 festival attendees from a hotel room on the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay Hotel and Casino.

On Instagram, Aldean said he and his crew were safe, but called the tragedy “horrific.”

“Tonight has been beyond horrific. I still dont know what to say but wanted to let everyone know that Me and my Crew are safe. My Thoughts and prayers go out to everyone involved tonight. It hurts my heart that this would happen to anyone who was just coming out to enjoy what should have been a fun night. #heartbroken#stopthehate,” Aldean said in a post on his Instagram page.

In a radio interview with “The Bobby Bones Show” on Monday morning, singer Jake Owen, who went on stage just before Aldean, said he was watching Aldean perform and recalled the moment the singer realized gunshots were ringing out. Owen said many thought the gunfire initially was fireworks.

“Jason was out on the catwalk, and he just put his guitar up in the air and started running back toward the drum set to get off the stage,” Owen said. “That’s when you knew, people started fleeing, and it was wild, man. I’ve never seen obviously anything like this before. People are scared. People are still scared.”

Owen also reflected on the tragedy on Twitter, and said what he witnessed was “unimaginable.”

“Gun shots were ringing off of the stage rigging and road cases. No one knew where to go…thank you LVPD and responders for keeping us safe,” Owen tweeted. “Praying for everyone here in Vegas. I witnessed the most unimaginable event tonight. We are okay. Others arent. Please pray.”

In another tweet, Owen told his daughter, Pearl, he loved her.

“Gun shots!!! Vegas. Pray to god. Love you guys. Love you Pearl,” he said.

Singer Chris Young attended the festival but did not perform, and recalled laying on the ground waiting for the gunfire to end.

“Spent I don’t know how long on the floor of a trailer behind the stage…know multiple people are dead. Listening to that gunfire…” Young tweeted.

“I’m not gonna say anything else other than I’m lucky to be alive. As are many others…and so many people are gone…this is heartbreaking,” he tweeted several hours later.

Luke Combs, who performed before Aldean on a different stage, told fans he and his band were safe.

“Me, the band, and crew are all safe. Been a long night, gonna try to get some sleep. Thank you for all your thoughts and prayers,” Combs tweeted.

Other country music stars who weren’t at the festival expressed their heartbreak over the deadly shooting.

“Woke up to such horrible news. We are praying for the victims and their families. May the Lord bring some comfort to them,” Carrie Underwood tweeted.

“Stilled and speechless… Our hearts and prayers are with everyone involved and affected. –KU,” Urban tweeted.

“Words can’t begin [to] explain my sadness. My family and I are praying for the victims of this tragedy. Truly heartbroken,” tweeted Luke Bryan.

“My heart goes out to all of our friends, @jasonaldean, our music family and fans in Las Vegas. I’m praying for your healing. I pray God puts his arms around you. This is so sad and devastating. I can’t understand it.#prayforvegas #prayforpeace” Reba McEntire posted on Instagram.