Law Enforcement Talk: True Crime and Trauma Stories

Episode: The Worst Mass Shooting In US History

Host: John "Jay" Wiley

Guest: Retired Las Vegas Metro Police Captain Josh Bitzko

Date: December 3, 2025

Overview

In this gripping episode, Host John "Jay" Wiley interviews retired Las Vegas Metro Police Captain Josh Bitzko, a key responder at the Mandalay Bay mass shooting—America's deadliest. Through firsthand narrative, Bitzko discusses the chaos of the night, the weight of rapid decision-making, the aftermath on law enforcement and his personal journey toward healing. The episode offers a sobering look behind the badge, blending true crime insights with raw, human impact.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Career Background & Transition to Civilian Life

• Early Career: Bitzko started as a cadet at 18, spent 24 years with Las Vegas Metro PD, and served extensively in patrol and K9 units, culminating in a captaincy.
• Transitioning from Policing: Both guest and host reflect on the emotional difficulty of leaving law enforcement, citing the loss of camaraderie and sense of purpose.

  “I still miss being a cop. Miss wearing the uniform and talking to people.” – Josh Bitzko [04:39]

2. K9 Unit Reflections

• Becoming a Handler: Bitzko describes moving from patrol to K9 after realizing undercover work wasn't for him.
• Canine Partnerships: Deep bonds with K9 partners—who also become family members—are highlighted, including the challenges faced by both handlers and dogs upon retirement.

  “I spent more time with my canine partner than my kids or my wife...I had to build that trust with him.” – Josh Bitzko [08:19]
  “Retirement's not just hard for us, it's hard for the dog.” – Josh Bitzko [10:28]

3. The Mandalay Bay Shooting: Scene and Response

• Initial Chaos: Bitzko recounts the swirling confusion as officers tried to pinpoint the shooter's location, compounded by the echoing gunshots and vastness of the area.

  “When I arrived, it was pure chaos... You can't pinpoint, based on sound alone, where the shooting's coming from.” – Josh Bitzko [17:43]

• Shooter’s Setup: The shooter assembled an arsenal of 23 weapons over a week, established surveillance with cameras, and rigged his environment for maximum harm and delay of police response.

  “He'd taken about a week to assemble an arsenal... set up cameras out front to see our response... began shooting down into the crowd.” – Josh Bitzko [14:57]

• Rapid, High-Stakes Decision Making: Officers made split-second, life-or-death choices, often with little information, balancing the need to neutralize the threat with concerns for team safety.

  “You don't know how you're emotionally going to handle something until you're in that situation.” – Josh Bitzko [14:20] “I had to make 100 decisions... I didn't want to make the wrong decision and get somebody killed.” – Josh Bitzko [24:59]

4. The Room Entry

• Advancing to the Suspect’s Room: Bitzko describes the difficulty of traversing the labyrinthine hotel and assessing incomplete intelligence in real time.
• Facing Potential Explosives: Officers encountered a room service cart with wires, fearing an explosive trap.

  “We could see wires going from the room service cart into the room...our whole team thought it was an explosive device waiting for us.” – Josh Bitzko [27:41]

• Forced Entry and Aftermath: The team breaching the room found the shooter deceased by suicide, surrounded by evidence and firearms, and then cleared adjacent rooms.

  “We make entry in the room and start to clear it out... find the suspect deceased on the ground with a self-inflicted gunshot wound.” – Josh Bitzko [31:28]

5. Personal Impact and Healing

• The Lingering Toll: Bitzko admits to the heavy psychological aftermath, shared by all first responders present.

  “Everybody that went up to that floor came down a different human. And a thousand... officers that responded... were changed.” – Josh Bitzko [36:35]

• Therapy and Processing: He began therapy in 2020—four years after the incident—which became an ongoing process to manage trauma and loss amid personal tragedies.

  “The weight got so heavy... I finally sat down with a mental health professional... It’s something that I still do to this day.” – Josh Bitzko [39:53]

• Rejecting ‘Shoulda, Coulda, Woulda’: Both guest and host stress the importance of not dwelling on perceived mistakes in traumatic incidents.

  “You're responding the best you can to somebody that had a lot of time to prepare... One thing is learning from mistakes, and another is not dwelling on them.” – Josh Bitzko [37:47]

6. Post-Retirement: Advocacy and Training

• Wellness Leadership: Before retirement, Bitzko established a wellness bureau for Metro PD employees, focusing on officer mental health.
• Consulting & Book: He now teaches law enforcement and business leaders about resilience, courage, and leadership. His book, The Courage to Live, aims to provide a realistic blueprint for surviving trauma and recovering—addressed to both law enforcement and civilians.

  “I wanted to create a blueprint for anybody that experiences hard things...not just law enforcement.” – Josh Bitzko [41:31]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “You go to war with the army you have, not the army you want.” – John J. Wiley [19:02]
• “Having the willingness to show up and do the job— that was the most important thing...in this kind of event.” – Josh Bitzko [20:06]
• “Any kind of event like this—everybody that went up to that floor came down a different human being.” – Josh Bitzko [36:35]
• “If I just focus on the negativity, then it's going to eat me up. So I tend not to give that any of my energy.” – Josh Bitzko [35:17]
• “You can’t control how you feel, but you can always control how you respond.” – Josh Bitzko [41:09]

Key Timestamps

• 03:15 – [Career beginnings, transition challenges]
• 08:19 – [K9 partnerships and family life]
• 14:57 – [Shooter setup and event details]
• 16:56 – [Initial radio call and training limitations]
• 17:43 – [Chaos upon arrival, confusion of scene]
• 24:52 – [Mindset and emotional weight entering the scene]
• 27:41 – [Encountering the suspected explosive device]
• 31:28 – [Making entry, discovering the shooter deceased]
• 36:35 – [Lasting impact on first responders]
• 39:53 – [Starting therapy, ongoing healing process]
• 41:31 – [Book overview and purpose]
• 42:39 – [Consulting and contact details]

Conclusion

This episode stands out for its candid, firsthand recounting of the Mandalay Bay mass shooting by a key police responder. Josh Bitzko’s story extends beyond tactics and trauma, highlighting the enduring struggles of police officers and the necessity of mental health care. His book and consulting work underline a move from reactive policing to proactive wellness and leadership, making the conversation relevant for anyone dealing with trauma or seeking to understand its lifelong reverberations.

For more information about Josh Bitzko’s work or to find his book, visit bitskoconsulting.com.