Social Media Star Dan Bilzerian On Being Backstage During Las Vegas Shooting

This morning, America woke up to tragic news that Las Vegas was under attack — 50 people killed and 400 injuries thus far just outside Mandalay Bay during a country music concert.

The “King of Instagram,” i.e. Dan Bilzerian, was backstage.

He told People, “I used to play baseball with [country singer] Jake Owen when I was a kid. We were on the stage when the gunfire started. It sounded like firecrackers, which is what it sounds like when supersonic bullets are flying over your head.”

As people realized they were under attack, “I was pretty calm, all things considered,” Dan said, “but I definitely ran to safety.” He said he walked by a female victim on the ground: “She was dead. She had been shot in the head, and her brain was showing.”

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After escorting an injured woman to the hospital, Dan returned with his own gun to see if he can help. By then, police had taken control.

“It was a pretty strong wake up call,” he said. “This stuff can happen without warning anywhere. It’s not smart to get caught without a gun.”