Port Angeles native takes refuge in hotel after Vegas shooting

LAS VEGAS — A woman who grew up in Port Angeles said she was safe after being on the Las Vegas Strip during the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. History on Sunday evening.

Rachel Prince-Porter, who grew up in Port Angeles but now lives in Las Vegas, said she was in the middle of the strip when a gunman perched on the 32nd floor of a hotel blocks away unleashed a barrage of bullets upon thousands of concertgoers, killing at least 59 and injuring at least 527.

Prince-Porter and her husband had planned to attend the Route 91 Harvest Festival but made other plans instead, she said.

“We were farther down the strip … but we did see a lot of pandemonium at first,” she said. People were running to hotels as police were driving down the strip searching for the shooter.

As injured people went to hotels, rumors spread of multiple shooters, she said.

She ended up getting a hotel room for the night because of the panic. Local police had closed the strip and getting back to her Las Vegas home would have been difficult, she said.

Prince-Porter said that in the hours after the shooting, she had been thinking a lot about how the country addresses mental health.

“This morning there’s a lot of political talk — a lot of gun talk — and there’s not a lot of talk about mental health,” she said. “You’re not sane to do this. Mental health is clearly a problem with this person and our country.”

Bailey Bryan, a country musician from Sequim, performed Saturday during the weekend festival.

She posted on Twitter that she was safe in Nashville, Tenn., but shocked, heartbroken and praying.

“I have no words,” she wrote. “But thank you for all the concern for the crew and I.”

________

Reporter Jesse Major can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 56250, or at jmajor@peninsuladailynews.com.

More in News

Mike Chapman.
Chapman leads Kelbon for district Senate seat

Mike Chapman was leading the 24th Legislative District state Senate… Continue reading

Steve Tharinger.
Tharinger leads Roberts for state House position

Incumbent Steve Tharinger outpaced Terry Roberts in a race for… Continue reading

Three state ballot initiatives rejected

Fourth measure passing with narrow margin

Two-lane bypass to open on Saturday

Construction crews will open a two-lane bypass for U.S. Highway… Continue reading

Heather Dudley-Nollette.
Dudley-Nollette wins Jefferson County seat

Heather Dudley-Nollette defeated fellow Democrat Ben Thomas for the… Continue reading

15 members voted to sit on Charter Review Commission

Fifteen candidates emerged as charter review commissioners out of… Continue reading

Adam Bernbaum.
Bernbaum leads Roberson for state House seat

Democrat Adam Bernbaum led Republican Matthew Roberson in the race… Continue reading

Clallam County Sheriff’s Office investigating woman’s death in Sequim

The Clallam County Sheriff’s Office is conducting an investigation into… Continue reading

Emily Randall.
Randall wins 6th Congressional District seat

Reproductive freedom, abortion access will be top priorities, she says

Three of four statewide initiatives failing

Three of the four statewide initiatives were failing in initial… Continue reading

Tharinger, Bernbaum, Chapman leading in 24th Legislative District

Incumbent Steve Tharinger and newcomer Adam Bernbaum were leading in… Continue reading

Dudley-Nollette wins Jefferson County commissioner seat

Heather Dudley-Nollette won the District 1 seat on the… Continue reading