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Wauwatosa native Steve Berger killed in Las Vegas shooting

Man's friend saw him get shot
Posted at 2:51 PM, Oct 03, 2017
and last updated 2017-10-03 23:07:47-04

A Brookfield father is grieving the death of his son who attended a Las Vegas concert Sunday where nearly 60 people were killed in a mass shooting. 

Berger's father Richard Berger confirmed with TODAY'S TMJ4 Tuesday that Steve had been killed in the shooting.

Steve Berger, a divorced father of three, grew up in Wauwatosa and was in Vegas with friends to celebrate his 44th birthday on Saturday. 

One of Steve's friends told Richard Berger that he saw Steve get shot and that his eyes were closed on the ground. The friend couldn't stay with him because officials were clearing everyone out so they could get to the dead and injured.

 

Berger grew up in Tosa. He went to Wauwatosa West High School where he was a basketball stand out. He moved to Minnesota for college and that's where is was living before his death. 

Richard was waiting for word from Las Vegas authorities for says, and the waiting was tearing him up. 

His father called into WTMJ radio while Steven Berger was still among the missing. A friend said Steven Berger had been shot in the back or chest and then fell. They got separated in chaos.

Richard Berger said he could barely stand to watch the news footage of the aftermath of the shooting as he awaits some sort of word, but can barely stand watching.  

His father feared Steven was paralyzed in the hospital or somewhere else unable to get help.

"Steven must have been lying on the ground. All we know is he was shot," said Richard Berger.

Now family and friends are grieving the father of three. Richard Berger said Steven was a great man and an even better father.

Richard Berger says he last spoke with his son last week about the Wisconsin/Northwestern football game and jokingly warned him about a bet he made in Vegas.