Las Vegas shooting: Stephen Paddock set up cameras around hotel room while girlfriend is 'person of interest' - as it happened
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.At least 59 people were killed and 527 injured when a gunman rained bullets on crowds at a Las Vegas music festival.
A day on from the deadliest mass shooting in modern US history, police are desperately seeking to understand what drove Stephen Paddock to discharge "clip after clip" into the 22,000 revellers at the Route 91 Harvest festival.
The 64-year-old "lone wolf" attacker, equipped with at least 23 weapons and two tripods, fired rifles out of two different windows from his hotel room on the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay hotel before killing himself as police stormed his hideout.
Another 19 guns were found at a property occupied by Paddock about 80 miles away in Mesquite, Nevada.
Officials said he had altered those legally purchased weapons to operate on automatic before he began his deadly spree at around 10:08pm on Sunday.
Las Vegas Sheriff Joseph Lombardo said he was unable to speculate as to his motive, saying: "I can't get into the mind of a psychopath."
Authorities believe Paddock acted alone and dismissed suggestions he had any links to international terror, despite claims from Isis's news agency Amaq that he converted to Islam months before the shooting.
Video posted on social media appeared to show the moment the gunfire broke out as country star Jason Aldean performed, sparking mass chaos and scattering the crowd.
The massacre has reignited an outpouring of anger over the nation's lax gun ownership laws, which are protected by the second amendment.
As the nation was left reeling from the massacre, carried out in one of the world’s most iconic cities, Donald Trump sought to offer solace and condolence, first on Twitter and later in a sombre, televised address.
“In moments of tragedy and horror, America comes together as one. And it always has,” he said
Speaking on Tuesday morning, the President described the killer as a "sick, demented man".
In February, Mr Trump signed a resolution blocking an Obama-era rule that would have prevented an estimated 75,000 people with mental disorders from buying guns.
The rule was part of former President Barack Obama's push to strengthen the federal background check system following the 2012 Newtown, Connecticut shooting – the deadliest school shooting in US history.
Terrifying video footage has emerged of the moment Las Vegas gunman Stephen Paddock opened fire on crowds at a country music festival:
House speaker Paul Ryan said there were no plans for the House to act soon on a National Rifle Association-backed bill to ease regulations on gun silencers.
A House panel had backed the bill last month and lawmakers were expected to move ahead on the measure.
The bill is "not scheduled right now. I don't know when it will be scheduled," Ryan said, after issuing a call for unity and peace in the wake of Sunday's shooting.
Hospital officials said at least 45 people remain in critical condition after being wounded in the mass shooting at a Las Vegas music festival on Sunday.
Sunrise Hospital has 33 people and University Medical Center has 12 people still in critical condition.
At Sunrise, a total of 68 people remain hospitalised out of the 214 initially admitted. Officials say 15 people have died there.
Officials say a total of 60 people remain hospitalised out of the 104 who were taken to University Medical. Four have died.
The death toll has remained at 59 since Monday.
Las Vegas shooting witnesses speak about the panic that ensued as crowds tried to escape the barrage of gunfire:
Here's a recap of today's key developments in the Las Vegas shooting:
- Donald Trump has described mass murderer Stephen Paddock as "very sick, demented", and hinted at a possible change in gun laws
- Vigils have been held for the 59 killed and more than 500 injured. A registered nurse who died shielding his wife from gunfire and a school teacher engaged to be married are among the dead
- Hospital officials said at least 45 of the wounded remain in critical condition
- Police are still struggling to identify a motive for Paddock’s killing spree
- Isis still maintain Paddock acted for the group but this has been repeatedly refuted by the FBI
- The gunman was able to unleash hundreds of rounds of gunfire on a crowd of concertgoers with two "bump-stocks" that may have converted semi-automatic firearms into fully automatic ones, officials said
- National Rifle Association has still not broken its silence, one day on from the worst gun massacre in US history
- US citizens living near scenes of mass public shootings are more likely to prefer stricter gun control, according to new research
- Steve Bannon has warned the President his core supporters would react in horror if he were to back any move to restrict access to firearms
The Associated Press has spoken to one of the medical staff that treated victims of the Las Vegas shooting:
In cars, in ambulances waiting four or five deep, from the walking wounded to the barely alive, they arrived in droves.
"I have no idea who I operated on," said Dr Jay Coates, a trauma surgeon whose hospital took in many of the wounded. "They were coming in so fast, we were taking care of bodies. We were just trying to keep people from dying."
University Medical Center of Southern Nevada was one of many hospitals that were overflowing.
"Every bed was full," Dr Coates said. "We had people in the hallways, people outside and more people coming in."
Hospital officials say that at least 45 people remain in critical condition after being wounded during the mass shooting.
Sunrise Hospital has 33 people in critical condition, while University Medical Center has 12 people still in critical condition as of Tuesday morning.
Anonymous law enforcement officials have told NBC News and CNN that the Las Vegas shooter Stephen Paddock, wired $100,000 to an account in the Philippines at some point before Sunday’s shooting.
According to NBC, Paddock wired the money to an account there in the week before the shooting. His girlfriend, Marilou Danley, was born in the Philippines and was abroad at the time of the shooting.
The University Medical Centre of Southern Nevada says that it took in 104 people in the hours after the bloody shooting in Las Vegas, creating a grim scene that one doctor previously said looked like a war zone.
The hospital is the main critical trauma facility in southern Nevada, and said in a statement that it admitted more than 20 people in critical condition. Many still need breathing tubes.
Many gunshot victims didn't need surgery, the hospital said.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments