Las Vegas’ arsenal found at Stephen Paddock’s home
Stephen Paddock, who delivered bullets and terror down on thousands of innocents attending a Jason Aldean concert in Las Vegas, had an arsenal in his 32nd-floor hotel room and at his home 80 miles away, officials said
Police recovered 23 guns from his Las Vegas hotel room and another 19 guns from Paddock’s home in Mesquite, Nevada, Clark County Assistant Sheriff Todd Fasulo said.
Authorities said Paddock killed 59 people and injured another 527 early Monday in the deadliest mass shooting in modern US history.
In the hours after the retired accountant committed the shooting, authorities rolled out frightening new details, including the discovery of scopes on rifles at the resort and explosives at his home.
But what they couldn’t explain is why the man who had never faced any notable criminal charges did it. There was no known motive late Monday.
Even Paddock’s brother had no answers.
“We’re still just completely befuddled. Dumbstruck,” Eric Paddock said in Orlando, Florida.
Latest developments
A team of six officers spoke with security at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino, where Paddock was staying and searched the hotel floor-by-floor Sunday night before they found Paddock’s room, Clark County Sheriff Joseph Lombardo told reporters.
— Paddock, 64, fired at the officers through the door, Lombardo said. A SWAT team broke down the door, but Paddock had already killed himself, Lombardo said.
— Authorities recovered 23 guns from Paddock’s room, said Clark County NV Assistant Sheriff Todd Fasulo. Lombardo said several of the rifles had scopes on them.
— Another 19 firearms, along with explosives and several thousand rounds of ammunition in Paddock’s Mesquite, Nevada, home. The gunman apparently had smashed out two windows to increase his range of targets.
— The sheriff said a SWAT team was standing by at a house in northern Nevada. A law enforcement official confirmed the FBI is present in Reno.
Several vigils were held Monday night to honor the victims of the shooting. Communities came out in Reno, Las Vegas and on the campus of University of Nevada Las Vegas.
‘Everyone’s dying around me’ Witnesses described the horror that unfolded.
Taylor Benge said he “could see a guy with a bullet wound right in his neck, motionless,” several feet away. “From there on … people just started dropping like flies.”
Alexandria Cheplak, 25, called her father as she ran from the bullets.
“Everyone’s dying around me,” Jon Cheplak recalled her saying. “Everyone’s dying. They shot my friend … I’ve got to get out of here.”
Police said Paddock, unleashed a hailstorm of bullets from the 32nd floor of the resort, Lombardo said Monday.
Police say Stephen Paddock killed more than 50 people at a Las Vegas concert.
Authorities are still piecing together a motive.
The investigation: Police said they believe Paddock acted alone. “Right now, we believe it’s a sole actor, a lone-wolf-type actor,” the sheriff said.
The gunman’s brother, Eric Paddock, said he was stunned to learn Stephen was believed responsible. He described his brother, a retired accountant, as “a wealthy guy. He liked to play video poker. He went on cruises.”
