A permanent memorial to honor victims of the 1 October shooting received final approval from the Clark County Commission on Tuesday, nearly four years since efforts began on how to formally memorialize the victims of the deadliest mass shooting in American history.
The Forever One Memorial will stand just off the Las Vegas Strip where the shooting occurred. The memorial will be in the shape of an infinity symbol and will feature a 58-foot “Tower of Light” — representing the 58 people who died in the shooting — and a circular chamber called “Surround” containing 22,000 points of light, the same number of concertgoers who attended the Route 91 Harvest Music Festival, where the shooting occurred.
“The Surround is meant to invoke the feeling of what it is like to share in a unifying concert experience through a visual spectacle of becoming many, a truly immersive and unforgettable experience of being part of a 22,000-person audience,” said the website of JCJ Architecture, which led the memorial’s design.
The memorial will also include a “Remembrance Ring.” The ring’s diameter will be 58 feet and will include 58 vertical, triangular planks that signify candles. The backdrop of the structure will be the “Angel Wall,” with inscriptions of the victims’ relationships to others, such as “father,” “daughter” and “friend.”
“The Remembrance Ring is a solemn space allowing visitors to pay their respects and honor the memory of the victims,” JCJ Architecture’s website said.
There will also be a community plaza for live music, memorial services and other ceremonies.
The commission’s approval wraps up the work of the 1 October Memorial Committee, which formed two years after the shooting. The committee began soliciting design concepts for the memorial in June 2022 and recommended the approval of JCJ Architecture’s design at its meeting in July.
In a statement on Tuesday, Clark County Commissioner Marilyn Kirkpatrick commended the committee’s efforts.
“Nearly four years ago you were appointed to the difficult and emotional task of gathering input from family members of victims, survivors, first responders and all those affected by events of 1 October to help our community create a lasting memorial,” the statement said. “Your top priority throughout your work was to engage the community in this process, and the recommended design is a true reflection of that goal. Thank you for a job well done.”
The commission has directed county staff to seek out a nonprofit to oversee, construct and maintain the memorial. The commission will approve the selection of a nonprofit at a future meeting.
The 1 October shooting stands as the deadliest mass shooting in U.S. history. The rampage left 58 people dead and more than 800 people injured.
In the aftermath of the shooting, community members created their own memorials. One man placed 58 white crosses in front of the “Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas” sign, and locals created the Las Vegas Community Healing Garden, which includes 58 planted trees and other community mementos.
