Moments after gunfire erupted at a Las Vegas concert where a lone gunman killed more than 50 people and injured more than 400 others, Vero Beach native and country singer Jake Owen ran and hid behind a police car with several others to shield themselves from the sporadic shooting, according to his twin brother.
The Sunday night massacre is the deadliest mass shooting in U.S. history, surpassing the death toll of the 2016 Pulse Night Club shooting in Orlando.
Owen, 36, had performed at 8 p.m. Sunday at the Route 91 Harvest Festival, two hours before the shooting began. He turned over the stage to country star Jason Aldean at 9:40 p.m. Owen was standing on the side of the stage with country singer Luke Combs shortly after 10 p.m. when the shooting began.
“He just heard loud noises. It’s so loud on stage that he might’ve thought they were fireworks,” said Owen’s twin brother Jarrod Owen, of Vero Beach. “I don’t think anyone (initially) realized what the noises were or where they were coming from.”
Jarrod Owen said Jake Owen took off running as fast as he could and hid behind a police car with several other people. Jarrod Owen said his brother didn’t know if someone was walking around the concert area shooting.
So, Jake Owen ran again, jumped over a fence and got into his tour bus with his managers. Jarrod Owen said his brother stayed on the bus throughout the night until police showed up and made sure the concert venue was contained and safe.
Jarrod was asleep when he woke up to frequent missed calls shortly before 7 a.m. Monday morning, he said. He said he knew something wasn’t right, so he called his mom, who told him about the shooting.
“It was unsettling,” Jarrod Owen said. “We ended up getting a hold of him (by phone) and he was safe.”
Jake Owen spoke with the Today Show Monday about the deadly shooting. He said the shooting lasted for about 7 to 10 minutes.
Police believe the gunman, identified as 64-year-old Stephen Paddock, killed himself before law enforcement officials stormed his hotel room on the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino, according to media reports.
Jarrod Owen said his mom told him Jake Owen was still shaken up about what happened. Jarrod Owen said he talked to his twin brother the night before and knew he would be at the concert.
Jake Owen currently lives in Nashville, Tenn.
Jake and Jarrod Owen graduated from Vero Beach High School in 2000 and both attended Florida State University. Jarrod Owen graduated from FSU in 2004 while Jake Owen left a semester before graduation to pursue his music career in Nashville.
Jake Owen (right) and his twin brother Jarrod Owen
PHOTO CONTRIBUTED BY OWEN FAMILY
Jake Owen’s parents, Steve and Mitzi, live in Vero Beach. Jake Owen has an older half sister Kayce, and an older half brother, Steve.