LAS VEGAS _ Last week the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department released more than 1,200 pages of witness statements and interviews conducted by law enforcement with survivors of the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history.
In the course of the investigation, police gathered individual stories _ each like a quilt patch sewn next to another. And another. And another. Until all the patches together showed what humanity looks like under siege.
In the chaos and confusion, the statements _ given in the days and weeks after the Oct. 1 massacre _ recounted acts of heroism and resourceful quick-thinking. Belts became tourniquets. Tables became stretchers. Off-duty police, firefighters, nurses and paramedics began to triage patients on site.
What also emerged is how, for some, the testimony became a therapeutic outlet after Stephen Paddock killed 58 and injured hundreds at the Route 91 Harvest country music festival. Many spoke of paralyzing fear. Some witnesses made a point to thank those who had helped or longed to find those people. There were also some trivial notes _ itemized losses of phones, clothing and other property.
The writing styles were varied _ some staying within the lines on the paper and others eschewing them. Some used small, block letters, and others wrote in big, curvy script. Several were in Spanish. Almost all used "fireworks" or "firecrackers" to describe the initial sounds of the shooting. The names were redacted, though in some instances the gender and other personal details were clear. Here is a sampling:
