Two years after the horrific mass shooting that killed 58 concertgoers and injured hundreds more in Las Vegas, MGM Resorts has agreed to pay up to $800 million to the victims and their families. It was the deadliest mass shooting in US history.
The settlement holds MGM Resorts liable for negligence due to the shooter – Stephen Paddock – successfully entering the Mandalay Bay Hotel and Casino, an MGM property, with luggage full of guns and ammunition. Lawyers argued the casino giant should be held responsible.
Holding MGM Resorts Accountable
Paddock brought an array of weaponry to his 32nd-floor suite at the Mandalay Bay in late September 2017. On October 1, he sprayed Route 91 Harvest country music concertgoers across the street with bullets. In total, he killed 58 innocent people, and injured hundreds more.
Following the incident, many victims filed a lawsuit against MGM Resorts in an effort to hold the casino company responsible. Now, two years later, those most affected by the horrible tragedy scored a victory.
Lawyers announced on Thursday that MGM Resorts must pay $735 million to $800 million to the victims.
“While nothing will be able to bring back the lives lost or undo the horrors so many suffered on that day, this settlement will provide fair compensation for thousands of victims and their families,” Robert Eglet, a lawyer for one of the victims said in a statement.
Thousands of victims filed a claim against MGM Resorts. Eglet said the agreement resolves “substantially all” of the lawsuits filed against the Vegas-based casino giant.
Never Forgotten
The lawsuit against MGM Resorts wasn’t just about holding those who failed to prevent Paddock from bringing weapons into the hotel. It was also about ensuring the victims haven’t been forgotten.
Those killed and injured at the Route 91 concert continue to be honored by the city of Las Vegas. On Tuesday, the two-year anniversary, 58 new crosses commemorating each victim, were placed outside the famous Las Vegas sign just south of the Strip.
But that, along with the lawsuit, won’t bring the innocent lives back. It does help ensure the victims aren’t forgotten and those responsible are held accountable, however.
