A 30-year-old man who was at the scene of the deadliest shooting in United States’ history is being commended for saving at least 20 lives.
Jonathan Smith, a California resident, was attending the Route 91 Harvest Country Music Festival in Las Vegas with family Sunday night, when gunman Stephen Paddock opened fire on a crowd of 22,000 people.
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Many hit the ground in response to the gunfire, others began to run away.
In an interview with the Washington Post, Smith said he first thought the noise was fireworks but realized it was gunshots once musician Jason Aldean left the stage. His extended family locked hands and began to run, but Smith stayed back to look for his nieces.
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While most people ran away from the concert area, others were confused and unsure where to run, so he began yelling, “Active shooter, active shooter, let’s go! We have to run.”
He got a hold of several people and showed them where to go, and helped others figure out where to hide. He found one woman lying on the ground, and got her to first responders.
“I got a few people out of there,” Smith said.
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According to ABC News, Smith is credited with saving more than 20 lives.
While helping others, Smith himself was shot. A bullet lodged in his neck fractured his collarbone. He also cracked a rib and has a bruised lung.
Smith is now recovering, but he says doctors have told him the bullet may stay inside his neck forever, as removing it could cause more damage.
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Smith’s story gained attention online Monday night, with several people, including Chelsea Clinton, dubbing him a “hero.”
But that’s not how Smith sees things.
“I don’t see myself as a hero, I just see myself as someone doing the right thing,” he told ABC News.
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Smith’s sister-in-law, Tiffany Jones, has launched a GoFundMe page for the father of three.
“He is currently unable to support his family as a result of this horrible event as his body requires time to heal from such an injury,” the fundraising page reads. “In addition to this, he will need to pay medical expenses — much of which will need to come out of pocket.”
By Tuesday afternoon, the campaign had reached more than $11,000.
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