A gunman opened fire on thousands of concertgoers jamming the Las Vegas Strip, killing at least 50, wounding 400 more and prompting chaos as the panicked crowd scrambled for cover or simply ducked to avoid the onslaught from the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history.
Otro ángulo de la balacera en #LasVegas. Impactantes imágenes. pic.twitter.com/4YIVng1zrP
— Gusini Solano (@GusiniSolano21) October 2, 2017
The massacre ended when police stormed a 32nd-floor hotel room overlooking the concert and the shooter, identified as Stephen Paddock, 64, killed himself, Clark County Sheriff Joe Lombardo said.
“Right now we believe it’s a solo act, a lone wolf attacker,” Lombardo said. “We are pretty confident there is no longer a threat.”
Authorities shut down part of the Las Vegas Strip and Interstate 15 after receiving reports of an active shooter at the Route 91 Harvest festival, near the Mandalay Bay Casino, at about 10:10 p.m. local time.
May god protect the innocent. #lasegas #mandalaybay #shooting #vegas #casino #pray pic.twitter.com/DG5xjeijDB
— Space Trek9 (@spacetrek9) October 2, 2017
The White House said President Trump “has been briefed on the horrific tragedy in Las Vegas.”
“We are monitoring the situation closely and offer our full support to state and local officials. All of those affected are in our thoughts and prayers,” White House press secretary Sarah Sanders said in a statement.
“My warmest condolences and sympathies to the victims and families of the terrible Las Vegas shooting. God bless you!” Trump tweeted.
My warmest condolences and sympathies to the victims and families of the terrible Las Vegas shooting. God bless you!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 2, 2017
Lombardo confirmed at a news conference that the shooter had fired from the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay. Numerous firearms were found in the room at the scene.
Paddock lived in Mesquite, Nev., a city 80 miles northwest of Las Vegas.
Lombardo said reports of multiple shooters and explosives were false. Some of the deceased were police officers, he added.
Videos on social media show people ducking for cover and fleeing as gunfire rings out.
Lombardo said police were confident they had detained a person of interest, who he named as Marilou Danley, the suspect’s roommate.
He said officers also located a Hyundai Tucson and a Chrysler Pacifica Touring, both with Nevada plates, which were registered to the dead suspect.
“Our condolences go out to the families who lost loved ones tonight. Thoughts and prayers are with all of those affected by this tragedy,” the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department said on Twitter.
Ivetta Saldana, who was attending the festival, told The Las Vegas Review-Journal she hid in a sewer after the shooting began.
“It was was a horror show,” she said. “People were standing around, then they hit the floor.”
Witnesses said they saw multiple victims and dozens of ambulances. Some concert-goers huddled in the basement of the nearby Tropicana hotel-casino.
Nevada Gov. Brian Sandoval tweeted: “A tragic & heinous act of violence has shaken the #Nevada family. Our prayers are w/ the victims & all affected by this act of cowardice.”