Ballykinlar man tells of horror on Las Vegas streets

Ballykinlar man tells of horror on Las Vegas streets

4 October 2017

A BALLYKINLAR man went online to reassure family of his safety within two hours of Sunday night’s mass killing in Las Vegas.

Paddy McCashin was staying in a hotel on the Las Vegas strip next door to the hotel from which Stephen Paddock sprayed bullets from a 32nd floor window, killing 59 people and injuring 500 more.

Aware that his family would be alarmed to waken up to the news of the killings on Monday morning, Paddy, who is on a three week holiday, wrote a reassuring online post.

“Don’t worry, Flo and myself are safe. There was a shooting in the next hotel. We are in lock-down, everyone in their rooms,” he wrote.

Dozens of people responded to his post, welcoming news that he was unaffected by the tragedy, including local Assemblywoman Emma Rogan who said: “So glad to hear you are safe. Just awful what has happened. Look after yourself.”

Paddy’s brother, Sean McCashin, said Paddy had since spoken to family and told them that while they are now allowed out of their hotel rooms, the streets are full of shocked people “standing crying”.

“He has been out for a walk just before the shooting and saw people go in and out of the concert,” said Sean.

“It is pure chance that they were not caught up in it as they are in the hotel next door.”