Friends and family of an Alberta woman killed in the 2017 Las Vegas mass shooting will be coming together this month for a charity rock show in her memory.
Tara Smith Roe was one of 58 people killed by a gunman who opened fire from a high-rise hotel into a crowd of 22,000 at an outdoor country music concert on the Las Vegas Strip on Oct. 1, 2017. Another 413 people were wounded, and police said at least 456 were injured fleeing the carnage.
Roe, who was 34 when she died, lived in the Okotoks area. She was an educational assistant and worked with special-needs students. She is survived by her husband and two sons.
“She loved her friends and her family and her students so much,” said organizer and friend Samantha Lee. “She loved dancing, taking pictures … she just loved music and concerts.”
Lee said the idea to hold the concert came from Roe’s love of music and life.
Watch below: Childhood friends of Canadian Tara Roe remember the Las Vegas shooting victim as a force that will be missed. Zahra Premji speaks to family friends about their memories.
Along with Roe’s friends, her parents, sister and nephew will be coming out from Manitoba.
The concert will feature student musicians from the School of Rock, where Lee works. The set list includes Tara’s favourite rock songs.
Money raised from the concert will help the family of one Roe’s students. She said Roe had a special bond with this particular student and his family.
The show will be held on Oct. 13 at The Palace Theatre between 1p.m. and 3 p.m. Tickets are available online.
“I think the show will be a good thing, remembering Tara on a lighter note,” she said.
With files from The Associated Press