Larne couple sheltered in restaurant during Las Vegas shooting

Heather and Uel McCrudden are currently on holiday in the Nevada city where a gunman targeted an open air music festival over the weekend.

The death toll from the terrifying incident currently stands at 59 people, with hundreds injured.

In an interview with the Belfast Telegraph, Heather, who owns Java Junkie coffee shop in the town, told of how herself and her husband were dining on the Las Vegas Strip when the shots were heard.

“After the shots rang out panic broke out, and everyone ran to the back of the restaurant and got under the tables or took shelter in the bathroom,” Heather said.

A post on her Facebook page related how the restaurant remained on “lockdown” for close to two hours.

Eventually the couple were able to return to their hotel, encountering streets full of police and ambulances on the way.

In a further post on Monday, Heather added: “It was a bit scary to say the least, but we’re not going to let it ruin an already wonderful experience. The people of Vegas are amazing and couldn’t be more helpful and pleasant.”

Meanwhile, police have named 64-year-old Stephen Paddock as the gunman.

The US citizen sprayed gunfire into the crowd from the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay Hotel, before killing himself as officers closed in.