Aid is on the way: China shows support to Las Vegas shooting

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Sunday was a horrible day for people in Las Vegas, as a gunman opened fire at an open-air music festival in the city. At least 59 people have been killed and another 527 injured. But the mass shooting has united people from different countries, closing the gap between strangers.

People from all walks of life have voluntarily lent their hands to those in need by contributing water and food, providing comfort with blankets and donating money and blood. Chinese people also showed their support. Some lined up for several hours to donate blood while some worked overtime to send meals to the donors.

People lined up for hours to donation. /Huaxi Metropolis Daily Photo

The Cover Photo

“Some of my Chinese friends went to the blood bank. They said they had to wait in line more than six hours to donate blood,” local Chinese driver Dennis Lee told Chinese media The Cover.

The day after the shooting, a Sichuan cuisine restaurant in Las Vegas supplied donors with a common but popular Chinese dish, fried noodles. The owner, Gui Tianyu, 28, cooked 200 meals with his wife ahead of operating schedule in an aim to send the meals to blood donation volunteers timely.

The restaurant owner distributes meals. /The Cover Photo

“We were supposed to be the first unofficial batch to arrive at this center that day,” Xiaobai, Gui’s friend said. The duo reached to the United Blood Services located at Charleston Blvd at around 8:00 a.m. local time.

According to Gui, there were nearly a thousand volunteers lining up waiting to donate.

“We finished distributing the meals for just more than an hour,” Gui said. “Everyone got the fried noodles said thank you,” he added.

Suppliers support victims at the donation center at Charleston Blvd in Las Vegas. /Huaxi Metropolis Daily Photo

Despite helping to contribute food, Xiaobai also registered as a blood donor and queued up for five hours to support people in need. “There are too many injuries, over 500 people. The bank is short of people who are O blood type, and I’m the one,” he told The Cover.

Xiaobai's post after donation: "Lined up for five hours, finally my blood comes in handy. Hope the injuries are safe and thanks to everyone who made a contribution to the society!"/The Cover Photo

Around 11:00 a.m., more suppliers, including other Chinese restaurants, arrived in succession.

US President Donald Trump called the bloodbath in Las Vegas “an act of pure evil” and Chinese President Xi Jinping on Monday sent a condolence message to Trump over the worst mass shooting in modern US history.

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