Meet The Man Who Took a Bullet to the Neck Saving Dozens of People During the Las Vegas Shooting

Jonathan Smith, a 30-year-old repairman living in Orange County, California, was shot Sunday evening.

Not before he could save dozens of lives.

READ:58 People Killed And Over 515 Injured In Mass Shooting At Las Vegas Music Festival

Smith's story started spreading yesterday when the Washington Post published a profile on him.

Smith was at the Route 91 Harvest Country Music Festival in Las Vegas with his brother Louis Rust, who was celebrating his 43rd birthday, and eight other family members, including his three nieces.

They were watching Jason Aldeans closing set when they heard what sounded like fireworks go off. Of course, it wasn't fireworks, but bullets, as Stephen Paddock, 64, of Mesquite, Nevada, fired down from his hotel room with an automatic weapon.

As soon as Smith realized what was happening he acted. He told all nine of his family members to hold hands and run. Smith himself was directing people and aiding those that needed.

The Washington Post captured play-by-play of whathappened:

"He says he turned back toward the stage to look for them, he saw people hunched behind a sheriff patrol car at the northwest edge of the concert lawn. Others were so frightened they didnt know what to do. He kept shouting, 'Active shooter, active shooter, lets go! We have to run.'

He grabbed people and told them to follow him toward a handicapped parking area in the direction of the airport, away from Las Vegas Boulevard. It was a large field with several rows of vehicles. Smith and the others crouched down behind one of the last rows of cars.

'I got a few people out of there,' Smith said. 'You could hear the shots. It sounded like it was coming from all over Las Vegas Boulevard.'

Smith was eventually struck in the neck by a bullet. According to Smith, an off-duty police officer saved him by putting pressure on the wound and flagging down a ride for him. Smith suffered a fractured collarbone, a cracked rib, and a bruised lung. The bullet that hit him in the neck is still there, and may stay there for the rest of his life.

On Monday afternoon Smith's story went viral when Heather Long, thereporter for the Washington Post, tweeted about it.

Soon after, Chelsea Clinton quote-tweeted her tweet with the word hero.

A GoFundMe has been started to support Smith and his medical expenses. Head here if you want to contribute.

Source: Washington Post