Jason Aldean’s tour manager is speaking out about the horrific scene he and the country singer’s crew witnessed during the mass shooting in Las Vegas Sunday night, which began during Aldean’s performance.
Jake LaGrone shared his message of sadness and gratitude, as well as a call for action, with Instagram followers late Tuesday night.
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“I can not begin to describe the last 48 hours,” he began the emotional post. “I want to say to my wife and boys I love you so much and to my Aldean tour family, I love of each of you and so thankful you are with your families.”
He expressed gratitude for all those who reached out to him and Aldean’s camp following the deadliest shooting in U.S. history: “Thank you to the countless friends, family and music industry folks that have reached out to me. I owe so many people a returned call or text. I feel the love and prayers for everyone involved and the sadness our nation is going through as another senseless act has been committed. My prayers go out to everyone involved from the families of the fallen to our extended families that watched on TV from afar.”
“Too many people to mention but to all the first responders police, fireman, paramedics and just upstanding Americans that helped each in a time of need thank you all. We must unite this country and find civil respectful ways to tolerate our differences and be one nation. For the sake of our children’s future and the generations to come, I challenge myself and everyone to do good things for people and be a part of the solution and rise up to the challenges we face,” he continued.
LaGrone concluded with a powerful call for unity in this solemn time. “This is not political; this is life,” he wrote. “Respect and honor your neighbor and fellow American. Respect this country’s leaders. It is not about them individually, it is the offices they hold. More than anything, be a leader yourself and don’t wait for someone else to do it. We all can make a difference but we have to unite first.”
He added hashtags “#prayforvegas” and “#prayforamerica.” He chose photos of an American flag and a Route 91 Harvest Festival tribute ribbon to accompany his thoughts.
Aldean has also spoken out about the act of domestic terror that began while he was on stage in Las Vegas Sunday night, leading to the deaths of at least 58 people and injuring over 500 more.
In an Instagram post, he wrote, in part, “I truly don’t understand why a person would want to take the life of another. Something has changed in this country and in this world lately that is scary to see. This world is becoming the kind of place i am afraid to raise my children in.”
“At the end of the day we aren’t Democrats or Republicans, whites or blacks, men or women,” he wrote. “We are all humans and we are all Americans and its time to start acting like it and stand together as ONE! That is the only way we will ever get this country to be better than it has ever been, but we have a long way to go and we have to start now.”
Aldean also expressed his condolences to victims and their loved ones during this difficult time. “My heart aches for the Victims and their families of this senseless act. I am so sorry for the hurt and pain everyone is feeling right now and there are no words i can say to to take that pain away,” he wrote.
The country singer announced Tuesday that he will be canceling a few of his upcoming shows, writing in a statement that “it is the right thing to do.”
Aldean, who is currently on his They Don’t Know Tour, had shows scheduled for Los Angeles on Oct. 6, San Diego on Oct. 7, and Anaheim on Oct. 8 that will not be played. He plans to pick the tour back up the following week in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
“Our first time back onstage will be a very tough and emotional thing for us, but we will all get through it together and honor the people we lost by doing the only thing we know how to do – play our songs for them,” the statement read.
