Las Vegas tragedy hits Bay Area, San Francisco police family

Byby Melanie Woodrow KGO logo
Tuesday, October 3, 2017
Las Vegas tragedy hits Bay Area, SFPD family
There are many local connections to the tragedy in Las Vegas, including for one San Francisco police officer who was at the concert with his wife, who is now missing.

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- Calls and texts have been nonstop for Las Vegas resident Nikki Junium who arrived at San Francisco International Airport on Monday.

"More people down, more people shot, more people's friend's died," she said.

Junium says she knows at least 20 people who were 's country music festival in Vegas.

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"One was shot in the back, a lot of people with blood splattered, a lot of ugly stuff," she continued.

Her friend, who was shot in the back, was scheduled for surgery Monday. Junium says she was supposed to be at the music festival but didn't end up going because of her trip to San Francisco.

"My heart hurts with where this world is going where this country is going very sad," she said while wiping away tears.

VIDEO: Timeline of mass shooting on the Las Vegas strip

Others arriving at SFO described being held in their hotel, including one man who says his co-worker was inside Mandalay Bay during the shooting.

"When it happened they had them lay down on their stomachs for 90 minutes. They couldn't move, couldn't get up, and then they were allowed to sit and I think they were released around 8 a.m. this morning," said Shaan Ballesteros who was returning to the Bay Area from Las Vegas.

San Francisco Police Officer Vinnie Etcheber and his wife Stacee were also at the music festival.

"They tried to take cover behind a steel barrier partition he had pushed his wife underneath it," said Al Etcheber, Vinnie's brother.

By phone, Al said in between the first and second round of shots,Vinnie told his wife and two other friends to run for it.

His wife is now missing. Al said she doesn't have her phone or ID on her.

"We're just praying that she's okay that she may have been injured but it's not fatal," said Al, who's now driving to Vegas to be with his brother.

"He stood back, he stood back to help those victims that were shot and he stuck with them, he stuck with them all the way to the hospital," said Al in reference to his brother's heroic actions.

The couple has a 10-year-old son and 13-year-old daughter.

VIDEO: Concertgoers capture moment Las Vegas shooting erupted

"I told them I was bringing mom home," said Al.

The family is hoping someone will recognize Stacee from her picture and contact them.

San Francisco Police Officer's Association President Martin Halloran said he put Officer Etcheber in touch with the FBI and Las Vegas police. Also that he was sending a team to be with the officer on Monday and that he would arrive in Las Vegas to be with him on Tuesday.

Click here for full coverage on the Las Vegas mass shooting.