Montrealers who flew into Trudeau Airport from Las Vegas on Tuesday morning say they are shaken after having been so close to the mass shooting that has killed at least 59 people, including four Canadians. More than 500 people were injured.
“We’re still numb,” said Laval resident Janine Leclair as she left the airport.
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One woman named Audrey, who didn’t want to give her last name, told Global News she was watching the famous Bellagio Fountain, two kilometres north of where the shooting happened, when panic struck.
“We were just running for our lives. We didn’t know where the shooter was at that point,” she said.
As people at the Bellagio Fountain ran for cover, they had no idea they weren’t in danger at all.
“By the time the panic struck there, the shooter was already dead,” Audrey said.
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A couple from Dollard-des-Ormeaux got locked down at the Cirque du Soleil for hours. It was two blocks away from the Mandalay Bay Hotel, where a lone gunman mowed down concertgoers below.
“We were at the Cirque du Soleil at MGM. The shooting happened just across the street. We were stuck there for two to three hours,” said Shankar Udupa.
A man passing through Montreal on his way back to Prince Edward Island told Global News he heard shots from his hotel room.
“I heard the first set of shots. I was in my room just sitting there, heard at least six or seven shots. From there, I got up, went over to the window and just all kinds of security vehicles after that,” said Riley Gallant.
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Another couple from Park Ex said they saw people breaking down in the Las Vegas airport as they were leaving.
“This woman had her little baby and she just started crying. It kind of gave you goosebumps,” said Sam Markopoulos.
All the Montrealers returning from Vegas said the mass shooting wouldn’t deter them from travelling there again.
“I don’t think this kind of thing should stop us from doing what we want to do,” said Udupa.