Fresno law enforcement officer ran to help victims during rain of gunfire in Las Vegas

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- Craig Lee and his longtime friend Vince La Novara ran out to help--not realizing they too were caught up in a spray of gunfire.

La Novara's wife- Michelle hid under bleachers while recording the sound of the shooting that seemed to go on forever. Craig and Vince worked to save lives in between flying bullets, only pausing briefly when they were under direct fire.

"There was a lot of people I passed, I had to pass and just get the ones that were breathing. That was the hard part," said Lee.

"The first person you see, check the pulse, she wasn't breathing. No pulse, checked her neck, checked her hand- just to double check, there was nothing," said La Novara.

Tripping over purses, shoes, phones, and trash-- they asked others to help them take down a metal barricade to use as a gurney.

"Praise God to those people that I call civilian response, not first responders. Not first response, a civilian response was out there- people with great hearts," said Lee.

People used their belts and shirts as tourniquets. Lee and Lanovara remember the overwhelming smell of blood that filled the air. They stabilized and moved those they could and comforted those who were dying.

"Found the one young lady, I believe it was her sister that was hunched over her screaming. She's all I got, she's all I got," said La Novara.

Once police and emergency crews arrived- Lee posted a Facebook live video to let his loved ones know he was OK- and that is when he said the emotion hit him.