“He opened fire on a crowd of more than 22,000 concert goers.” Guess what, America? This guy is a terrorist.
UPDATES, at the bottom of the post…
Quick editorial note right up front:
I spent this entire day from the time of posting arguing with people about my use of the word sniper in this article. You’re right, he’s not a sniper, never was a sniper, and was not trained as a sniper. Because of this decision I made to use that word, which I was using to describe a person firing from an elevated position, some were severely offended. That wasn’t my intention, apologies all around. Thank you.
I keep wanting to write ‘this is unreal,’ but we’re kind of way beyond that here in modern America. A 64-year old coward named Stephen Paddock from Mesquite, NV opened fire from the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay with automatic fire. The video sounds like he was just emptying a magazine into the crowd, taking cover, reloading, and doing it again. He killed at least 50 people, more than any time in US history. I said a sniper shot in the title; this guy wasn’t a sniper, ever, he was never trained as such, I chose that word as a description of a person firing from an elevated position, thinking that people would equate that better than other choices that may have been more militarily appropriate. I’m not military.
I’m sitting here listening to interviews of survivors behind me on the news — this happened last night at the Route 91 Harvest Festival, 3-day country music thing going on in Las Vegas next to the Mandalay Bay. I just saw a video this morning of automatic gunfire. I have fired an automatic weapon several times (like many of us have), and that sound is indistinguishable:
Police in Henderson have commented that they found 10 long rifles in his room; he had automatic weapons. If you have an FFL in America, get ready for that yearly visit I’m guessing. The FBI is going to be looking for this automatic weapon/weapons’ history, because this guy had nothing on him legally, the police say he had a traffic ticket. He had a female companion; they’ve questioned her, but details of that are sparse and conflicting.
This dude did this during Jason Aldean‘s slot — all crew and Jason Aldean are accounted for.
This guy shot a lot of rounds a long f**king way. Seriously, look at this:
Most of the news we’ll learn will be today — LVPD is going to be searching this nutbag’s property this morning, I’ll update as I see.
Listen to this video — the video is very grainy, but the sound is unmistakeable, it sounds like clapping. I wouldn’t be a bit surprised if they discover drum mags in his room:
What is known right now about this mass killing in Las Vegas:
- Shooter is dead; self-inflicted gunshot wound before the police could get in.
- No motive yet.
- The shooter had a pilot’s license.
- 2 off-duty LVPD at the show were killed; two on-duty were wounded.
- This guy was a local — from Mesquite, Nevada (80 miles or so away)
- He had at least 8 firearms in his room, on the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay. He checked in on the 28th of September.
Photos of this new nightmare:
An ABC News report that happened live:
More as I see it. I’m sorry, everyone.
UPDATES
UPDATE, 10:47am Central:
Killed number has been updated to 58 and possibly 59 depending on one patient who isn’t expected to survive.
Wounded number has been updated to 518.
UPDATE, 15:52pm Central:
Some details on the shooter:
- His father was a bank robber, Eric Paddock said. The FBI lists the late Benjamin Hoskins Paddock as being on the FBI’s most-wanted list from June 10, 1969 until May 5, 1977.
- The father escaped from prison in 1969 and lived on the run until 1978, when he was arrested in Oregon, the Eugene Register reported at the time.
- He has a brother — Eric Paddock — Eric Paddock said his father died a few years ago and that “he was never with my mom.” Eric said he was born while his father was on the run.
- “He was a wealthy guy playing video poker … on cruises,” his brother said, adding that Stephen could afford anything he wanted and played $100-a-hand poker.
- Authorities believe Paddock had a device similar to a hammer to smash the hotel windows prior to the shooting, Lombardo said. Officials think Paddock brought the weapons into the hotel by himself but did not provide specifics.
- No military records so far for Stephen Paddock.
Dude had Daytime aftermathUPDATE, 19:39pm:
Killed has risen to 59; wounded is now at 527.
On several occasions, Stephen Paddock gambled more than $10,000 per day — and in some cases more than than $20,000 and $30,000 a day — at Las Vegas casinos, according to an NBC News source who read the suspect’s Multiple Currency Transaction Reports (CTR) and a casino gaming executive.
This guy had more than 16 rifles in the Mandalay Bay room, plus a pistol; the search of his home turned up more firearms and thousands of rounds of ammunition.
Some hat tips/research list:
http://www.cnn.com/2017/10/02/us/las-vegas-concert-shooting-scene/index.html
http://www.cnn.com/2017/10/02/us/las-vegas-attack-stephen-paddock-trnd/index.html
http://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-lasvegas-shooting/lone-gunman-kills-59-injures-hundreds-in-las-vegas-concert-attack-idUSKCN1C70FU
http://www.foxnews.com/us/2017/10/02/las-vegas-police-feds-race-to-uncover-what-drove-aggressively-unfriendly-gunman-with-weapons-arsenal-to-kill.html
http://abcnews.go.com/US/50-dead-200-injured-las-vegas-deadliest-shooting/story?id=50223240
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2017/10/02/us/mandalay-bay-vegas-shooting.html
Tweets by SchreiberEvan
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZIxzECZPZ1g
https://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/las-vegas-shooting/las-vegas-police-investigating-shooting-mandalay-bay-n806461
http://www.cnn.com/2017/10/02/us/las-vegas-attack-stephen-paddock-trnd/index.html
http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2017/10/las-vegas-shooting-20-killed-scores-wounded-171002092103925.html
http://www.syracuse.com/us-news/index.ssf/2017/10/las_vegas_gunman_stephen_paddocks_father_was_bank_robber_wanted_by_the_fbi.html
http://www.latimes.com/nation/la-las-vegas-shooting-live-updates-carnage-concert-leaves-50-dead-100-injured-20171002-htmlstory.html
UPDATE: Wednesday, October 4, 08:15am
The girlfriend is going to be questioned, she’s back in the states. The sister’s story is that she was “surprised with a cheap ticket to the Philippines,” and that it was because she was sent away as to not get in the way of the planning.” No shit, I just heard her say it. The coward sent $100,000 to the Philippines a few before.
Murderer had cameras set up all around his room, inside and out; he was monitoring the room and the hallways, and one in the peephole of his door.
The guns inside the hotel room appeared to have bump fire devices attached to his rifles. When you take them to the range and just have fun with them, they’re great. This asshole used these currently legal devices and turning them into killing devices. If you have one, I assume we won’t be able to have them anymore or they will become illegal soon. He had 47 firearms (that’s the number today) in that room, several with long-range optics (scopes). He was firing indiscriminately and picking targets.
There’s a picture out there of this jerk dead. That’s how he deserves to be, for each of the families that he just ruined.
Photos coming, I’m on the road with spotty internet.
UPDATE: Thursday, October 5, 08:14am
The general sense of the MSM news outlets is that there is more to the girlfriend’s story; at present, the coward killer gave her a “cheap ticket to the Philippines in order for her to visit family. He also apparently wired her $100,000 for them to purchase a home there. Then, in an interesting slice of irony, the girlfriend is back in the USA, and her attorney is speaking for her. I personally find that odd, whether there is more to that is to be seen.
The killer’s girlfriend’s sister’s statement on video:
The girlfriend, Marilou Danley, had her attorney make a statement:
“It’s taken us this long to make a statement because it’s important to respect the investigative process. We wanted the FBI and the Las Vegas Police Department to have the first opportunity to talk to my client, Marilou Danley, about everything that she knew about Stephen. That being said, I have a statement to read from my client Marilou Danley. ‘I am devastated by the deaths and injuries that have occurred and my prayers go out to the victims and their families, and all those who have been hurt by these awful events. I have faith in God and I will continue to pray for everyone who has been harmed or hurt. I am a mother and a grandmother and my heart breaks for all who have lost loved ones. I knew Stephen Paddock as a kind, caring quiet man. I loved him and hoped for a quiet future together with him. He never said anything to me or took any action that I was aware of that I understood in any way to be a warning that something horrible like this was going to happen again. A little more than two weeks ago Stephen told me he found a cheap ticket for me to the Philippines and that he wanted me to take a trip home to see my family. Like all Filipinos abroad, I was excited to go home and see family and friends. While there he wired me money, which he said was for me to buy a house for me and my family. I was grateful but honestly I was worried that first the unexpected trip home and then the money was a way of breaking up with me. It never occurred to me in any way whatsoever that he was planning violence against anyone. I have not made a statement until now because I have been cooperating with the authorities and I voluntarily flew back to America because I know that the FBI and Las Vegas Police Department wanted to talk to me and I wanted to talk with them. I will cooperate fully with their investigation. Anything I can do to help ease suffering and help in any way, I will do. Please respect my privacy and my family’s privacy. Thank you.”
Here’s current numbers and information:
- 58 people killed plus the gunman, but f**k him. 59 including him. 58 actual humans died in his planned attack.
- as of right now with this update, there are 172 people still in bed care at area hospitals in the LV metro.
More photos, some of these are f**king terrible. I have also posted, at the bottom, a protected photo of the aftermath of the coward murderer’s rampage — I protected this image with a click-first image, but I posted this just like I posted the photo at Le Bataclan — this is history, and that photo is a reminder of how little this asshole valued our lives.
This image below is of Stephen Paddock, the coward who killed 58 people and wounded over five hundred, dead from what appears to be a self-inflicted GSW. Click it if you want, if not, do not click.
