Country star Jason Aldean cancels tour dates after Las Vegas shooting

Las Vegas - Country star Jason Aldean is cancelling three upcoming tour dates after a mass shooting at a country music festival in Las Vegas out of respect for the victims and to take time to mourn.

The singer was onstage on Sunday when a gunman shot at the Route 91 Harvest festival. Aldean said in a statement on Tuesday that this weekend's shows scheduled for Los Angeles, San Diego and Anaheim, California, would be cancelled and he would resume his tour on 12 October in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

"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," he said. 

As a result of what happened in Las Vegas this week, we have decided to cancel this coming weekend's shows... pic.twitter.com/lP7TFCukII

— Jason Aldean (@Jason_Aldean) October 3, 2017

He also says he's praying for the victims of the Las Vegas shootings, saying his "heart aches" and issuing a rallying cry for Americans to come together.

The singer writes something has "changed" in the world, making it "the kind of place I am afraid to raise my children in."

"At the end of the day we aren't Democrats or Republicans, whites or blacks, men or women. We are all humans and we are all Americans and it's time to start acting like it and stand together as one!"

"My heart aches for the victims and their families of this senseless act," Aldean wrote on Instagram, adding: "Time to come together and stop the hate!"

See his full post here:

Over the last 24 hrs I have gone through lots of emotions. Fear, Anger, Heartache, Compassion and many others. I truely dont understand why a person would want to take the life of another. Something has changed in this country and in this world lately that is scary to see. This world is becoming the kind of place i am afraid to raise my children in. At the end of the day we arent Democrats or Republicans, Whites or Blacks, Men or Women. We are all humans and we are all Americans and its time to start acting like it and stand together as ONE! That is the only way we will ever get this Country to be better than it has ever been, but we have a long way to go and we have to start now. My heart aches for the Victims and their families of this Senseless act. I am so sorry for the hurt and pain everyone is feeling right now and there are no words i can say to to take that pain away. Just know u all are in my heart and my prayers as we all go through this together. Time to come together and stop the hate! #stopthehate #prayforlasvegas

A post shared by Jason Aldean (@jasonaldean) on Oct 2, 2017 at 8:57pm PDT