Legendary entertainer Wayne Newton revealed his fury over the Las Vegas mass shooting as he says the gunman will have ‘a seat waiting for him in hell’.
The singer, known by fans as Mr Las Vegas, insisted the actions of one ‘lone fruitcake’ will never define his beloved city, during an interview with Fox & Friends.
‘I know Las Vegas will recover from it,’ said the 75-year-old, who personally donated $100,000 to the victims of Sunday’s massacre. ‘It’s a terrible, terrible thing, and my prayers go out to all the victims… but we have survived other things in this town.’
Legendary entertainer Wayne Newton (left) revealed his fury over the Las Vegas mass shooting as he says the gunman Stephen Paddock (right) will have ‘a seat waiting for him in hell’
Newton has personally donated $100,000 to the victims of Sunday’s massacre. Pictured; a couple write a message at a makeshift memorial on the Las Vegas Strip on Tuesday
‘For that lone fruitcake to define what Las Vegas is, I don’t think will happen.’
He added that the horrific mass shooting, which left 58 dead and more than 500 injured, could happen in any city.
Gunman Stephen Paddock, 64, had opened fire on a crowd of thousands at the Route 91 Harvest Festival on Sunday night, shooting multiple weapons from the 32nd floor window of his Mandalay Bay Hotel room. But the shooter, who had cameras set up outside his room to see if the SWAT teams were on their way, killed himself before cops were able to breach his room.
However, Newston warned that while Paddock may have escaped justice on earth, ‘I know that there’s a seat waiting for him in hell.’
The singer, known by fans as Mr Las Vegas, insisted the actions of one ‘lone fruitcake’ will never define his beloved city, during an interview with Fox & Friends
He added that the horrific mass shooting, which left 58 dead and more than 500 injured, could happen in any city
‘He’ll suffer from a long time,’ he added.
Newton, who has been a Vegas institution for decades, added that he’d been furious when he learned of the mass shooting, and wanted answers.
‘As the investigations go on, we find out more and more. But the one thing that still angers me is that no one can give a reason why this fruitcake did that,’ he said.
The Danke Schoen singer met with victims of the tragedy on Monday and has donated $100,000 to the cause. MGM Grand Hotel and Casino promised another $3million, according to NBC News.
Newton has also promoted other Las Vegas performers to use their talents to ‘help the town, our community, to help those that have been injured to heal.’
He reiterated his belief that the shooting would not define Las Vegas and Nevada, ‘the kindness and… the promptness of our first responders will truly define (it),’ he added.
People hug and cry outside the Thomas & Mack Center after the mass shooting at the Route 91 Harvest country music festival on Sunday evening
More than 500 people were injured and 58 were killed in the mass shooting on Sunday (festival goers flee the gunfire)
Newton added that he hopes President Trump’s visit to Vegas later today will show people that ‘this is a great city and they are great people.’
He’s a long time friend of the Trumps and even accompanied Melania Trump on her first solo trip as First Lady to the Invictus games last month.
Newton has dominated the Las Vegas show scene in his prime as a singer and entertainer, delivering such hits as Danke Schoen which was famously used as the soundtrack for the movie Ferris Bueller’s Day Off.
The crooner once boasted a multi-million Vegas property with its own menagerie – including South African penguins and Arabian horse – as well as a jumbo jet and terminal, and car museum. However, the 74-year-old has downsized in recent years after financial struggles.
Newton’s career in entertainment was topped off with an appearance on Dancing With The Stars in 2007, during which the singer partnered up with Cheryl Burke.
The Vegas superstar, who is married to attorney Kathleen McCrone, continues to tour worldwide with his music.
The couple have one daughter, Lauren, and Newton has another adopted daughter from his previous marriage to Elaine Okamura.