First responders, radio operators were overwhelmed by Las Vegas shooting, report concludes
Communications were snarled during the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history and first responders in Las Vegas were overwhelmed by 911 calls and the number of victims, according to federal and local authorities.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency and local fire and police departments released a report Monday with a timeline of actions by authorities, including responding to “distraction calls” that turned out to be false.
The false calls were among more than 1,500 related to the Oct. 1 shooting that law enforcement dispatchers answered within the first two hours. They reported an unattended backpack, a hotel fire, shots in a casino and hostages being taken at Las Vegas Strip resorts.
The report says “congested radio traffic made coordination difficult for response agencies.”
The shooting killed 58 people and injured hundreds more.
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