‘A normal day … until it wasn’t’: Ex-officer recounts Las Vegas mass shooting in book
Summary
Former Metropolitan Police Department sergeant Josh Bitsko — one of the small group of officers who entered the Mandalay Bay gunman’s 32nd-floor room after the Oct. 1, 2017, mass shooting — has published a memoir, “The Courage to Live.” The book recounts his first-hand actions that night, the immediate decisions he and colleagues made (including confronting what they thought might be an explosive device), and the long emotional aftermath.
Bitsko describes persistent guilt, nightmares and delayed therapy. Writing the book and creating a resilience consultancy are part of his effort to process trauma and to teach first responders how to make sound decisions under extreme fear. The article appears as the community marks the eighth anniversary of the Route 91 Harvest shooting, which ultimately claimed 60 lives and injured hundreds.
Key Points
- Josh Bitsko was among the first officers to enter the Mandalay Bay hotel room after the 2017 shooting that killed 60 people.
- Officers initially feared a wired room-service cart was an explosive device; the wires were actually for a surveillance rig used by the shooter.
- Bitsko details immediate split-second decisions: breach and investigate rather than wait for bomb experts or reinforcements.
- The memoir explores long-term consequences: nightmares, guilt, delayed therapy and ongoing emotional work.
- Bitsko now runs a consultancy teaching resilience and leadership to first responders, using lessons from the night to help others cope and decide under stress.
- The book, “The Courage to Live,” is part of his healing process and aims to provide a blueprint for surviving and rebuilding after trauma.
Context and relevance
This story revisits one of the deadliest mass shootings in modern US history through the eyes of a primary first responder. It contributes to ongoing community remembrance around the Oct. 1 anniversary and feeds into broader conversations about first-responder mental health, trauma-informed care in emergency services, and how incident response protocols cope with unexpected threats (bomb concerns, surveillance rigs, rapid decision-making).
Why should I read this?
Want the human story behind the headlines? This isn’t just another retelling — it’s raw, personal and shows what first responders actually face afterwards. If you care about how trauma is processed, how decisions under fear are made, or want a closer look at the human cost of mass shootings, Bitsko’s account is worth your time.
Author’s note
Punchy: this piece isn’t lightweight. It matters — for victims, for first responders, and for any community still reckoning with Oct. 1. The book offers practical takeaways on resilience, not just recollection of horror. Read the detail if you want to understand what that night did to people who ran towards danger.
