Las Vegas shooting: Hundreds of Americans flock to blood donation centres after massacre

Hundreds of people in Nevada have turned out to donate blood to those injured in a mass shooting in Las Vegas.

Officials put out a call for blood donations the morning after the attack, when a lone gunman killed at least 58 people and injured more than 500. By that afternoon, social media teemed with photos of the long lines at blood drive centres across the state.

A Red Cross blood drive at the Las Vegas Convention Centre had to turn away donors because it was too full, local reporters said. Other locations had a six to eight hour wait, and were asking donors to schedule appointments for Thursday or Friday.

Witnesses reported between 600 and 1,000 people waiting in line at various United Blood Services locations. The organisation is running the blood donation operation for University Medical Centre (UMC) – the hospital where many of the shooting victims are being treated.

A UMC spokesperson told The Independent she could see a line out the door of the Blood Services location across the street on Monday afternoon.

Nevada resident Michelle White arrived at the at UMC’s Delta Point blood drive at 7:30 am with her husband, a state assemblyman. After dropping off coffee with doctors and nurses, the two put out a call for donors on social media.

Within an hour, Ms White said, the location was flooded. More than 500 people turned up to that location alone.

“It was unbelievable,” Ms White told The Independent. “This little parking lot just became a massive crowd of people willing to donate.”

Local businesses donated food and water, and labour groups came to set up tents. The mood, Ms White said, was “resilient”.

A spokesperson from the United Blood Services told USA Today the organisation had sent nearly 200 units of blood to local hospitals. The Red Cross said it had sent more than 250 more.

The United Blood Services thanked those who had donated in a statement on Facebook.

“Already the local Las Vegas community has come forward in solidarity to support and honour those impacted by this senseless shooting,” the statement read. “It’s the blood on the shelf that saves lives when tragedy strikes.”

The donations would be available to hospitals in 24 to 36 hours, the organisation said.

The state is still reeling from the shooting at Mandalay Bay Resort in Casino in Las Vegas on Sunday, deemed the deadliest in modern US history. Police have identified 64-year-old Stephen Paddock as the shooter, and are still looking for a motive.

Congresswoman Dina Titus, who represents Nevada's first congressional district, praised the community for coming together in the wake of the tragedy.

“That’s the kind of people we have here in Las Vegas, who are willing to reach out and help one another," she said.