Chris Stapleton: ‘I Can’t Give in’ to Hate and Evil Post-Route 91 Shooting
Chris Stapleton had the Route 91 Harvest Festival shooting on his mind during a recent radio appearance. During a chat with CMT's Cody Alan, the singer admitted that he doesn't understand why such tragedies happen, but hopes that people won't let it rule their lives.
“Where does someone go in their mind to do these unthinkable things? I don’t understand it,” Stapleton says. “You want to look for reasons, or some explanation even, and I don’t know that there is one. There’s a certain amount of innocence that gets lost from it when these things happen.”
During his interview, Stapleton echoed the sentiments of a number of other country artists who have spoken out since the shooting on Oct. 1: You can't let fear get in the way of doing something you love.
Country Stars Respond Following Route 91 Harvest Festival Shooting
“I’m not saying not to be afraid and not be terrified of things like that, but … I want to step out there with a certain degree of defiance against things like that and not let fear and hate and just evil run my decisions and how I carry myself,” Stapleton continued. “If we do that, then we’re letting that win and rule us, and that’s exactly what people who would commit heinous acts like that would want. Personally, I can’t give in to that. I can’t do it.”
More than 50 people were killed and more than 500 people were injured in the Route 91 Harvest Festival shooting, which began when Jason Aldean, who was headlining the final night of the three-day Route 91 Harvest Festival, was performing. Other artists who performed at the Route 91 Harvest Festival include Sam Hunt, Eric Church, Maren Morris, the Brothers Osborne and Luke Combs; the event ran Sept. 29-Oct. 1.
Remembering the Route 91 Harvest Festival Shooting Victims