Nick Jonas along with his brothers, known as the Jonas Brothers, were performing in Prague on Tuesday during their world tour. However, a video emerged on social media showing the 32-year-old musician suddenly running off the stage after a red laser light aimed at his head.
Although Kevin and Joe Jonas stayed on stage, Nick Jonas’ quick exit became a hot topic of discussion on social media. However, considering a few of the latest terrifying music concert incidents that left people shell-shocked, Jonas’ panic doesn’t seem like an overreaction based on how laser aims are often used by snipers. Thankfully, all three singers are currently safe, although their reps are yet to release an official statement about the incident.
1. Las Vegas, Nevada, October 2017
During a Jason Aldean performance in Las Vegas, in 2017, the crowd witnessed the worst mass shooting in modern American history. According to reports from NBC News, a lone gunman named Stephen Craig Paddock unleashed a rapid-fire barrage of bullets from the 32nd floor of a Las Vegas hotel late Sunday.
Killing nearly 59 people and injuring more than 500 others attending a country music festival, Paddock caused terrified concertgoers to run for their lives. According to Assistant Clark County Sheriff Todd Fasulo, the gunman fired shots at the crowd of about 22,000, from his room at Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino.
According to police reports, Stephen Craig Paddock, who killed himself before police entered his room, was believed to have checked into the hotel on Thursday. He had 23 firearms in his room and investigators found 19 more at his home. However, digging into Paddock’s history, there appeared no criminal background.
2. Manchester, England, May 2017
A terrifying incident followed right after Ariana Grande had finished the final song of her May 2017 concert at Manchester Arena. According to History.com, a 22-year-old suicide bomber named Salman Abedi had detonated an explosion on the premises, killing around 22 concertgoers and injuring more than 116.
Later on, ISIS claimed responsibility for 2017’s deadliest act of terrorism in Britain, since the 2005 London metro bombings. The explosion turned the scene of youthful fun into a panic and violence-stricken event, causing loss of lives and a frantic search for safety in the chaos.
A public inquiry later found that MI5 missed a significant chance to take action that might have stopped the 2017 bombing. Considering how Salman Abedi was known to British security services, Chairman Sir John Saunders said the intelligence could have led to his car where he had stored his explosives.
Unfortunately, as per BBC, MI5 director-general Ken McCallum regretted that such intelligence was not obtained, which could have otherwise prevented the Manchester Arena attack.
3. Pacific Junction, Iowa, August 2024
An event titled The Pull Up Car Show and Music Fest, which was marketed online as a car show and concert featuring live performances from Boosie Badazz, Rob49, and Rich the Factor, was scheduled to go on until 11 p.m. on August 10, 2024. Unfortunately, the show was canceled as a result of the shooting.
According to reports from People, two people were pronounced dead after a shooting took place at the parking lot of I-29 Speedway in Pacific Junction, Iowa, at around 9 p.m. The victims were identified as Nebraska men, Marcus L. Johnson, 28, and Charles A. Williams Jr., 27.
The perpetrator as well as their motive for the shooting remains unclear, as the Iowa Department of Public Safety declined to release further information. Meanwhile, Boosie Badazz seemed to be unaware of the reason why the event was canceled, as he took to his social media to express his distress.
4. Moscow Concert Hall, March 2024
Apart from bombings and mass shooting at celebrity concerts and events, there appeared a shocking incident at a Moscow concert hall, after several gunmen burst into a large concert hall spraying the crowd with automatic gunfire. According to reports from CBS News, 40 people were killed and more than 100 others were left injured.
Further, the attack was so severe that the venue was set on fire and Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin described the attack as a “huge tragedy”. Soon after the incident, state authorities began investigating the attack and believed it was an act of terrorism. The Islamic State group later claimed responsibility for the attack.
In a statement posted on affiliated channels on social media, the terrorist group admitted to attacking a large gathering of Christians in the city of Krasnogorsk on the outskirts of the Russian capital of Moscow, killing and wounding hundreds. However, the authenticity of the claim was not verified.
5. Taylor Swift’s Vienna Tour Canceled
Back in August 2024, Taylor Swift was scheduled to play at the Austrian capital’s Ernst Happel Stadium as part of her Eras Tour. However, three of her concerts slated on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday in Vienna were called off, after officials announced arresting perpetrators over their apparent plan to launch an attack on an event in the Vienna area.
As per AP News, authorities had arrested two suspects, one of whom appeared to be plotting an attack on an upcoming concert in the Vienna area. The 19-year-old main suspect was arrested in Ternitz, while the second person was caught in the Austrian capital. The public security director claimed to be aware of “preparatory actions” for a possible attack.
Having our Vienna shows canceled was devastating. The reason for the cancellations filled me with a new sense of fear, and a tremendous amount of guilt because so many people had planned on coming to those shows… Thanks to them [authorities], we were grieving concerts and not lives. Swift issued via Instagram.
Breaking her silence in the wake of her concert cancellation, Taylor Swift thanked the authorities for acting at the right time and saving hundreds of lives.
Meanwhile, considering all the above-mentioned incidents that have left people terrified of attending mass gatherings, Nick Jonas was undoubtedly right to react in the way he did. Considering how the musician has now become a father, the red laser aimed at his head during the concert, was obvious to evoke such panic and immediate exit.
