Tewksbury Woman Among Dead In Las Vegas Mass Shooting
TEWKSBURY (CBS) -- A woman from Tewksbury was among the dozens of people who were killed in the horrific mass shooting in Las Vegas late Sunday night, her grandmother has confirmed to WBZ-TV.
Rhonda LeRocque, 42, was in the crowd of 22,000 people at the Route 91 Harvest Music Festival, when a gunman opened fire on them from the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay Hotel across the street.
At least 59 people were killed and more than 500 were wounded.
LeRocque's mother was still in shock Monday night. "I was devastated this morning at seven o'clock to find out she's been shot, murdered, in a senseless, horrific act," Priscilla Champaign said.
Rhonda was with her husband Jason, young daughter and father-in-law on a family trip to Las Vegas specifically for the country music festival.
"She was enjoying her concert and this all happened, she's a loving mother, she's a loving wife," Champaign said.
Rhonda's mother says the couple has been married for more than 20 years and are active members of the Wilmington Jehovah's Witnesses chapter.
"She was the one who threw all the events and family gatherings and she was the hostess with the mostess and she was just beautiful inside and out," Champaign said.
Relatives and friends came by the family's home throughout the night consoling each other while word of Rhonda's death spreads around the community.
"It's just tragic you know, especially when it hits home like this you know you hear it out there, but when it's this close it kind of makes you realize a tone of reality around it you know," said neighbor Scott Perigny.
Police said the gunman, 64-year-old Stephen Paddock of Mesquite, Nevada had 23 guns in his hotel room when they found him dead from an apparent suicide.
There is no word yet on a motive in what is now the deadliest mass shooting in recent U.S. history.
