'We Back the Blue': Nevada Gets $2.1 Million to Cover Law Enforcement Response to Las Vegas Shooting

The US Department of Justice's Bureau of Justice Assistance announced Monday it has awarded $2.1 million to the state of Nevada.

The money will be used to cover expenses related to law enforcement's response to the October 1, 2017, mass shooting in Las Vegas.

The shooting, which occurred during a country music festival, left 58 people dead and over 500 injured.

"I'm pleased that today the Justice Department announced that it will be reimbursing Nevada for the full amount that the state requested to address its shortfall," said Sen. Dean Heller (R-NV) in a news release.

The Department of Justice had already given Las Vegas a $1 million emergency grant following the mass shooting, but the overtime costs far exceeded that amount.

"They selflessly ran toward danger, chaos and uncertainty in order to help others, and as a result, they saved many lives on that horrific October night," Heller said. 

"The entire delegation has worked to address Nevada's outstanding needs, and that is why I have been working for months to see that the overtime costs for local law enforcement and our emergency responders are fully covered," he added.

State and local law enforcement agencies mobilized officers who responded to the shooting and carried out critical operations and support. 

"In this Department of Justice, we back the blue," Attorney General Jeff Sessions declared. "That's why, when there is a tragedy, we are there for police and first responders." 

"Today we continue to help state and local police in Nevada to rebuild after the deadliest mass shooting in American history, providing a total of $3 million to cover their expenses since that terrible day," he continued. 

"We honor and respect the 85 percent of law officers in this country who serve at the state, local and tribal levels," he said. "And we continue to support them and their life-saving work every single day."