Impacts of Las Vegas mass shooting spread to Central Coast

The impacts of the deadly Las Vegas shooting has also spread to the Central Coast.

Monday, Hartnell College held a moment of silence for the victims. A student at the college said her friends were at the concert and were shot Sunday night.

The student’s friends are a Santa Barbara couple. Both of the victims are both recovering at the hospital.

Christina Doyle said, “there was nothing anyone could have done and this is scary to think this is happening right in our backyard.”

Student Christina Doyle woke up Monday morning to the news of hundreds of unsuspecting concert goers shot including someone she had known since fourth grade.

“Her and her husband were victims. She was grazed in the head. He was shot in the stomach,” said Doyle.

The couple is Lara and Brian Mack of Santa Barbara. Lara has a long gash on the top of her head. Her husband, Brian is in the ICU after undergoing abdominal surgery.

Monday, Hartnell President, Willard Lewallen wanted to take time to speak directly to students about the shooting, calling the events horrific. He also wanted to follow President Trump’s request for a national moment of silence for the victims.

“We can’t just keep our hand down and say ‘well that doesn’t involve me directly… it does! Because we are all a part of that human family,” said President Lewallen.

Lewallen also said though terribly tragic, it’s also a learning moment.

“To me the only thing we can learn is let’s try to keep each other close and take care of one another and appreciate one another because that’s all we have in the end,” said Lewallen.

There are counselors available at Hartnell College in case any of the students have trouble processing the devastating incident.