Albertan mother of four and B.C. man days from 24th birthday among Las Vegas victims
At least two Canadians, a mother of four and a man just days away from his 24th birthday, were among dozens of people killed in Las Vegas when a gunman opened fire from a 32nd- floor hotel room on a large crowd gathered across the road at an outdoor country music festival Sunday night.
Jessica Klymchuk, of Valleyview, Alta., and Jordan McIldoon, 23, of Maple Ridge, B.C., were among the 58 people who died in the horrific attack that also left more than 500 others injured, including an unknown number of Canadians.
Klymchuk was an educational assistant, librarian and bus driver for St. Stephen’s School, said the Holy Family Catholic Regional Division.
Alberta Premier Rachel Notley and Edmonton Mayor Don Iveson both expressed sympathy over the death of Klymchuk, a mother of four. She was in Vegas with her fiancé.
“Our hearts are all broken,” Iveson said in a tweet. “We will rally for Jessica’s children and family.”
The Holy Family Catholic Regional Division says Klymchuk was an educational assistant, librarian and bus driver for St. Stephen School in Valleyview, Alta.
Superintendent Betty Turpin says in a statement that crisis support is being offered as long as needed.
“The scope of this tragedy is worldwide and we are feeling its impact here at home,” she said. “Our thoughts and prayers are with the family, as well as all the families affected by this unimaginable attack.”
A family member, who did not want his name used, identified Jordan McIldoon, 23, of Maple Ridge, B.C., as also being among the dead in the worst mass shooting in modern U.S. history.
“It’s a terrible thing,” he said. “I don’t handle it very well.”
McIldoon would have turned 24 on Friday and was a month shy of completing a course to qualify as a heavy-duty mechanic. His parents were travelling to Nevada to retrieve his body, the relative said.
In a Facebook posting that could not immediately be verified, Heather Gooze of Las Vegas said she was outside the festival grounds when the Canadian passed away.
“I am with a young man who died in my arms! RIP Jordan McIldoon from British Columbia,” Gooze wrote. “I can’t believe this just happened!!!”
In a statement, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said the government was following up on reports of Canadian casualties and denounced the “senseless and cowardly act of violence.