Members of the Oneida Nation in Las Vegas on business were all safe Monday after the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history, the Chairman said.
Employees and citizens of the Oneida Nation were there for the Global Gaming Expo, which brings together gaming personnel from Native casinos throughout the country.
Fawne Rasmussen was one of seven members representing the Oneida Casino at the expo. There are also more Oneida Nation members representing different facets of the tribe.
Her immediate response to the deadly shooting was fear before rushing to make sure members of her team were alright, she told NBC26.
"Considering Las Vegas is known for its nightlife, it was quite eerie to see, and surreal I guess, to see the calmness and the quietness, meaning nobody's on the streets," Rasmussen said.
A lone gunman opened fire Sunday night on an outdoor country concert on the Las Vegas strip. The shooting left 58 dead and more than 500 injured.
It is the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history.
For Oneida Nation Chairman Tehassi Hill, it's a reminder of events like the Wounded Knee massacre.
"I think it's important that us as a country and tribal nations across the country to come together and really try to figure out what causes these issues," Hill explained. "There's long stemming issues, specifically for us Native Americans. We have a longer history here on this continent and we've face a lot of historical trauma over the last 400-500 years. That kind of brings that to the surface again, our own history coming forward and remembering the hurts that have happened in the past, trying to help our current citizenry address that issue."
Here's the full letter Chairman Hill wrote to Oneida Nation members:
