The Worst Mass Shooting in U.S. History: A Retired Las Vegas Police Officer Speaks

 

West Palm Beach, Fl - October 1, 2017, is a date that will forever be etched in the minds of Americans. It was a night that changed a city, reshaped national conversations on safety, and left permanent marks on those who responded. Over 22,000 fans were gathered for the Route 91 Harvest music festival on the Las Vegas Strip when the worst mass shooting in U.S. history began.

For Retired Las Vegas Metro Police Captain Josh Bitsko, the tragedy was personal. He was part of the team that responded to the  hotel, where a gunman had opened fire on the crowd below. In a span of just ten minutes, the gunman fired over 1,000 rounds, killing 60 people and wounding hundreds more.

"It felt impossible," Bitsko recalls. "The amount of firepower didn't match anything we had ever seen before. You're trained for chaos, but this... this was different."

The investigation revealed two adjoining hotel suites packed with 24 firearms, thousands of rounds, and high-capacity magazines. Bitsko says, "There was a level of preparation inside that room that still shocks me today."

“It Was the Longest Ten Minutes of My Career.”

When the first calls came in, confusion dominated the early reports, multiple hotels, multiple shooters, conflicting information. 

"It felt like the entire city was going off at once," Bitsko says. "Every channel of information was overwhelmed."

By 10:17 p.m., officers finally reached the 32nd floor. Guided by a wounded Mandalay Bay security guard, they began clearing rooms and evacuating terrified guests.

Bitsko was part of the team that breached Room 32–135 between 10:26 and 10:30 p.m.

"It was quiet," he remembers. "Too quiet for what we had been hearing. And then we realized why."

The shooter had taken his own life moments before officers entered.

After the Shooting: Trauma, Leadership & Perspective

Bitsko's experience that night pushed him to explore mental health, trauma recovery, and leadership. His book, The Courage to Live, chronicles his journey. 

"The book isn't about being fearless," Bitsko explains. "It's about understanding fear, surviving trauma, and learning to lead even when you're not okay."

Today, Bitsko designs high-impact training for emergency response agencies through Bitsko Consulting, focusing on communication, decision-making under stress, and leadership development.

Bitsko's story has been shared across platforms, including The Law Enforcement Talk Radio Show and Podcast website, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram.

The Route 91 Harvest tragedy remains one of the most significant events in recent U.S. history, reshaping conversations about public safety, emergency response, and trauma among first responders.

"As officers, we carry the weight of what we see," Bitsko says. "But sharing it... that's how we lighten the load."

Attributions

Bitsko Consulting

Wikipedia

Amazon




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