What We Know About Las Vegas Mass Shooting Suspect Stephen Craig Paddock

By: Catherine Townsend

Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas

Photo by: MSNBC / YouTube (screenshot)

MSNBC / YouTube (screenshot)

Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas

New details have been revealed about the lone gunman who opened fire with a machine gun from his Las Vegas hotel room on a crowd at an outdoor country music festival — killing at least 50 people and wounding more than 400 others in the worst mass shooting in modern American history.

The shooter, identified by police as Stephen Craig Paddock, 64, fired shot after shot from his 32nd floor room of the Mandalay Bay Hotel and Casino as the 22,000 concert attendees ran for their lives.

Police responded to reports of the shooting, which witnesses said went on for 10 to 15 minutes, just after 10 P.M.

Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Sheriff Joseph Lombardo said that his officers breached Paddock’s room and found the suspect dead inside, among an “arsenal” of 10 firearms.

Investigators are working to piece together a profile of Paddock and to find clues as to what could have driven him to commit mass murder.

According to court records, Paddock has no criminal record in the state of Nevada.

Paddock lived around 90 minutes outside of Las Vegas in Mesquite, where he purchased a home in a retirement community for just over $369,000 in 2015, according to public records.

He had hunting and fishing licenses, as well as a pilot’s license.

He is believed to have checked into the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino on September 28.

ISIS claimed responsibility for the attacks — stating that Paddock converted to Islam a few months ago.

But this claim was quickly shot down by U.S. authorities, who claim that Paddock’s motive does not appear to be connected to international terrorism.

Following the attack, President Donald Trump tweeted “My warmest condolences and sympathies to the victims and families of the terrible Las Vegas shooting. God bless you!”

Earlier today, Trump addressed the nation called the shooting “an act of pure evil.” He stressed that the FBI was working with local authorities and would provide updates as the investigation progresses.

Early online reports named Paddock’s roommate, 62-year-old Marilou Danley, 62, as a person of interest — but Lombardo said that police “believe her at this time not to be involved.” Police reportedly made contact with her early Monday morning and discovered that she is working out of the country.

Paddock’s brother Eric Hudson Paddock, who lives in Florida, said he had “no idea” why his brother committed the shooting and that the family was shocked.

He told CBSN:

“His life is an open book. It’s all in public record. Once again, there is nothing. He went to college. He had a job…He’s just a guy who lived in Mesquite who liked burritos.”

Police have located the two vehicles that they believe to be related to the investigation: a Hyundai Tuscon and a Chrysler Pacifica Touring, both with Nevada license plates.

Country music star Jason Aldean, who was performing on the final night of the three-day Route 91 Harvest festival at the Las Vegas Village when the shooting started, later wrote on Instagram that he and his band were safe.