What to Know
- SWAT officers using explosives stormed the shooting suspect's hotel room and found he had killed himself.
- At least 59 people were killed including the shooter and more than 500 were injured in the shooting.
- Pres. Trump tweeted: "My warmest condolences and sympathies to the victims and families of the terrible Las Vegas shooting. God bless you!"
A local attorney with a devoted career in Family Court and a genuine passion for helping people was among dozens of victims killed in the Las Vegas shooting, NBC 7 has confirmed.
Jennifer Irvine, a Family Law and Criminal Defense attorney, posted photos of herself making silly faces, finding new friends and celebrating on Instagram, the same day that she was shot and killed at the country music festival.
Irvine was struck when a gunman opened fire from the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay Hotel and Casino, said Jay Jones, Irvine's publicist.
"She was a kind, sweet person that cared about others and wanted to help people," said Ashby Sorensen said, Irvine's Cal Western classmate and colleague.
"There's a lot of ways to make a lot of money practicing law but there's only certain types of people that go into areas that actually help people and make a difference in their lives and those are the areas she wanted to work," explained Sorensen.
Local
Ashby said he knew Irvine was at the country music festival and when he heard of the shooting, he made a mental note to call and make sure she was okay. But his wife found out on social media that she was killed in the attack.
He was shocked and saddened by the sudden loss of an old friend.
"She was a very smart, good person," said Sorensen, his brow furrowed in remembrance. "A lot of compassion for her clients. A lot of empathy. She worked really hard. She was very smart and good at what she did."
Jones told NBC 7 Irvine was a smart, charming and driven person. He had worked with her for about a year. According to her LinkedIn profile, she had many passions and interests outside of the courtroom.
She used to live in Carmel Valley and later lived in the Bankers Hill area, according to Sorensen.
"I'm not going to see her at the courthouse," Sorensen said, his voice pensive. "Every time I'd see her, she'd just smile and be excited about what she was working on, always asking questions and seeking advice, trying to do the best she could."
She had earned a black-belt in Taekwondo, enjoyed practicing hot yoga and was an avid snowboarder, according to her LinkedIn page. She was hoping to learn indoor rock climbing and later experience sky-diving.
Her social media page displayed her love of spring flowers, cats and sailing.
"She had a cat--loved her cat," added Sorensen. "That's for sure."
At one point, she was a guest commentator as a legal analyst on the LawNewz Network and The American Dream. According to the LawNewz Network, she provided legal analysis for the Adrian Loya murder trial.
Irvine earned her bachelor's degree from the University of San Diego and graduated from California Western School of Law in San Diego in 2005, a school official confirmed.
According to her LinkedIn profile, she had recently opened her own law firm in Downtown San Diego. She specialized in family law and criminal defense. Her legal experience spanned class actions, complex civil litigation and criminal defense.
Those legal cases involved representing clients in various family law issues, including child custody and dissolution of marriage in Family Court. Her LinkedIn page states that she had "a genuine passion" for helping clients get through an "extremely difficult and overwhelming time in their lives."
Approximately 22,000 people were attending the final night of the three-day Route 91 Harvest Festival in Las Vegas, which took place near the Mandalay Bay Hotel and Casino. At least 59 people were killed including the shooter and more than 500 were injured in the shooting.
“Something has to be done. It’s just ridiculous," Sorensen added with a frown. “Who the (expletive) needs a machine gun? For what? It’s nuts.”
