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Jason Aldean cancels shows out of respect for Las Vegas victims

Remembering the victims
Remembering the victims of the Las Vegas shooting 05:19

Country singer Jason Aldean has canceled several tour dates following the mass shooting where he performed in Las Vegas Sunday night.

"As a result of what happened in Las Vegas this week, we have decided to cancel this coming weekend's shows," Aldean said in a statement Tuesday.

"I feel like out of respect for the victims, their families and our fans, it is the right thing to do. It has been an emotional time for everyone involved this week, so we plan to take some time to mourn the ones we have lost and be close with our family and friends," the singer said in a statement.

Chaos in Las Vegas as shooter unleashes barrage of bullets 04:14

Aldean was on stage singing "When She Says Baby" when the gunshots rang out at the Route 91 Harvest Festival. Aldean continued singing before realizing that it was gunfire, and then ran off stage. Fifty-nine people were killed and more than 500 were injured.

In Tuesday's statement, Aldean said he would resume touring the following week for his concert scheduled in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

"Our first time back onstage will be a very tough and emotional thing for us, but we will all get through it together and honor the people we lost by doing the only thing we know how to do -- play our songs for them," it said. "I hope everyone understands why we can't play this weekend and I'm sorry if anyone is disappointed."

He added, "I want to say thank you for the outpouring of love from my friends and fans we have received over the last couple days. You guys have no idea how much you have helped get us through this tough time."

Another headliner of the country music festival, singer Jake Owen, told CBS News that when the shooting began, "you could hear it ricocheting off the roof of the stage, we started just running in any direction we could."

"You didn't know where it was coming from -- if it was somebody on the ground. At one point, I was sitting on the ground behind a car with about 20 other people crouched down behind a car, just the fear in everyone's eyes but yet the feeling of everyone looking for someone to make sure they were okay. I've just never experienced anything like it before," he said.

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