At least two people were killed and 24 were hospitalised after a shooting at a country music festival in Las Vegas, a local hospital spokeswoman said, and police said one suspect was down.
Police swarmed the Las Vegas strip late Sunday following reports of multiple shots fired from the Mandalay Bay casino, police and US media reported.
Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department said on Twitter: “Confirming that one suspect is down. This is an active investigation. Again, please do not head down to the Strip at this time.”
It was not immediately clear whether the suspect was killed or injured. But reports suggested that police did not believe there were any other suspects.
A spokeswoman for the University Medical Center hospital said 14 of the wounded were in a critical condition. All had suffered gunshot wounds, she said.
The shooting appears to have begun at a country music festival as a band performed on stage.
In Twitter footage gunfire can be heard over the music, as people begin to realize what is happening, some crouch down on the ground, while others start to flee.
Police had earlier said they were investigating reports of an active shooter near the Mandalay Bay Casino.
Witnesses speaking to CNN described the scene. “We heard (what) sounded like a glass breaking, so you looked around to see what’s going on and then heard a pop, pop, pop,” Monique Dekerf said. “You’d think for a moment okay we’re fine, there’s no more gunfire, then it starts again.”
Another told the network that it sounded like the “shots were coming from the right side ... it sounded like they were right beside us too ... it was right there.”
The New York Times reported that the shooting appeared to be at a country music festival and that police were investigating reports of shooting at other venues on the city's famous strip.
One Twitter user posted that the casino hotel was on lockdown, while another, citing police scanners, said two gunmen who had shot at a bodyguard and police were on the 32nd floor.
Video clips posted online showed what sounded like automatic weapons as panicked concertgoers fled, dropped to the ground screaming.
Witnesses heard numerous gunshots at the hotel, where police tactical teams were searching for the attacker, according to reports on CNN and in the New York Times.
Flights at Mccarran International Airport were temporarily halted after the reported shooting, the airport said on Twitter.
This video captured the moment gunshots were heard as a band performed live on stage.
First there appears to be confusion as the music suddenly stops, then more gunfire can be heard. In the background people can be heard screaming, others shout to get away from the area, while others shout “don’t push