59 dead, 527 wounded/injured in Las Vegas shooting

[kscarbel2]

The Washington Post  /  October 2, 2017

A gunman in a high-rise hotel opened fire on a country music festival on the Las Vegas Strip late Sunday, killing at least 50 people and injuring hundreds of others in the deadliest mass shooting in modern American history.

The gunman, Stephen Paddock, was later found dead by police on the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay Hotel and Casino. Paddock was 64.

Sheriff Joseph Lombardo said said “over 50” were killed in the shooting, though that toll could rise, as he noted that police were still investigating the scene.

Police said 406 people were taken to area hospitals after the shooting.

Paddock was found dead in his hotel room by Las Vegas SWAT officers who responded to the call about the shooting, and they believe he killed himself shortly before they arrived.

Under the neon glow and glitz of the Vegas Strip, concertgoers dove for cover or raced toward shelter through a sea of water bottles, hats, shoes and other items lost in the stampede as a hail of gunfire rained down from the Mandalay Bay around 10 p.m. local time. Over 22,000 people were at the concert when Paddock began opening fire from his hotel room.

Police believe Paddock, a local resident, was a “lone wolf” attacker.

“We have no idea what his belief system was,” Lombardo said. “Right now, we believe he was the sole aggressor and the scene is static.”

Recordings of the attack suggested that Paddock used an automatic weapon. Paddock, who arrived at the hotel last Thursday, was found with more than 10 rifles.

Paddock’s brother, Eric, told Reuters that the family was stunned by what happened.

“We have no idea,” Eric Paddock told the news agency. “We’re horrified. We’re bewildered and our condolences go out to the victims. We have no idea in the world.”

Las Vegas police said Monday morning that one off-duty officer with the department was killed in the shooting. Two other officers who were on-duty were injured, police said; one was in stable condition after surgery and the other sustained minor injuries.

Authorities were searching for a woman named Marilou Danley, described only as Paddock’s “traveling companion,” but police said early Monday they had located her as well as two cars they were seeking.

During a news conference Monday morning, Lombardo said that investigators have spoken with Danley, who was located outside the country, and do not believe she was involved in the shooting. Her relationship with Paddock was not immediately known, but they lived at the same address in Mesquite, Nevada. Police in Mesquite were entering Paddock’s home to conduct a search on Monday morning.

The gunman was previously known to local police for past run-ins with law enforcement. However, police in Las Vegas had only minimal interactions with Haddock before the shooting.

“We have no investigative information or background associated with this individual that is derogatory,” Lombardo said. “The only thing we can tell is he received a citation several years ago, that citation was handled as a matter of normal practice in the court system.”

Videos posted to Twitter from witnesses showed people screaming and running for cover amid the sound of gunshots. The shooting continued intermittently for more than five minutes.

“The gunfire never ended, it seemed like,” concert attendee Rachel Dekerf said. “It just went on and on and on.”

Mike McGarry, a 53-year-old financial adviser from Philadelphia, said he threw himself on top of his children as shots rang out. “They’re 20. I’m 53. I lived a good life,” McGarry told Reuters. The back of his shirt had foot marks from people who stepped over him in the crush to flee.

President Trump tweeted “condolences and sympathies” for the victims and their families hours after the shooting.

 “The president 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,” White House press secretary Sarah Sanders said in a statement Monday morning. “All of those affected are in our thoughts and prayers.”

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[kscarbel2]

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[BillyT]

KSB, when will it ever end!? Heard this morning on public radio that NRA stock is up 4 percent! I believe in the right to keep and bear, but probably wouldn't have helped in this instance! Happened too late for the local papers, but tomorrow will dominate the news!

[kscarbel2]

11 minutes ago, BillyT said:

KSB, when will it ever end!? Heard this morning on public radio that NRA stock is up 4 percent! I believe in the right to keep and bear, but probably wouldn't have helped in this instance! Happened too late for the local papers, but tomorrow will dominate the news!

I don't know Billy. I just don't know.

[BillyT]

I agree!

[Vladislav]

Sad as hell. Local news shared the event. At least on the net.

My thoughts and condolences to the victims.

Just impossible to believe that happened in the US.

[david wild]

Of course it happens here, all the bleeding heart liberals here pander to the nut jobs, Isis claims Paddock converted and he was one of theirs, we should send them a few of ours, Moabs that is, see what they think of that, and don't blow up some cave in the desert, I want it right downtown where the Isis headquarters are, they kill innocent people so we take out few innocents of theirs too, if you don't condemn you condone, if you're there then you're one of them. Then Rocket man might get the message and calm his crap down too, If the world does not like us then they should fear us, they understand strength and respect it, we have been weak to long, Trump needs to exert strength and teach those that harm us a lesson.   

[kscarbel2]

With Paddock, we'll never know the truth. In fact, he might be a fictional character.

[Mack Technician]

"Mike McGarry, a 53-year-old financial adviser from Philadelphia, said he threw himself on top of his children as shots rang out. “They’re 20. I’m 53. I lived a good life,” McGarry told Reuters. The back of his shirt had foot marks from people who stepped over him in the crush to flee."

Hate when it happens, but some great hero always rises out of the bloody, senseless, mess. See the absolute worst and best.

That being said I'd like to get back to the days when I was a kid. Desperate, suicidal people use to drive to a park in the middle of the night, stick a gun on their temple and pull the trigger. Everyone would mourn and wonder how we missed the signs.

In the age of the raging narcissist the SOB's try to kill everyone first. Filthy devils are getting more clever.  

[RowdyRebel]

Best video I've seen so far is the guy standing there looking towards the hotel to see where the shots were coming from, sipping his beer, as those around him are taking cover and urging him to do the same. Then, he calmly flipped the bird to the gunman before finally taking cover.

I'm guessing he'd either "been there, done that, wore out the t-shirt" fighting with the military overseas or he was just too drunk to care.  Apparently the newspaper that ran that article is trying to track him down to get more info.

[macks in nigeria]

Please for the love of God let us not turn this thread into the usual Red versus blue,Liberal Versus Conservative rant on BMT.Too much life has been lost.Let us respect them.Condolences to their families

[BillyT]

As usual, you all have good points! David I don't think you can teach Isis a lesson, they welcome death! Maybe we need to give it to them, but too bad about the non combatants but how many of our non combatants have they killed(9 11) ,missionaries, overseas workers,etc! KSB, who knows who Paddock was! One thing for sure, it's too damn easy for these nutcases to get weapons! Mack Tech you're right! Until the last 10 or so years they just killed themselves! Now they want attention,so they go to a public venue and kill dozens! The ones who live need quick prosecution and quick execution! No 20 years of appeals like here in Florida!

[grayhair]

I was in Vegas last week but escaped to home on Thursday while I still had money in my wallet left over...

Too bad this piece of excrement is dead already.  Would have been better to string him up right there on the strip so the relatives of the victims and the survivors could stone him to death. 

(Those snowflakes that think this is too barbaric could simply throw flowers at him and sing to him until he is dispatched.)  IMHO.

Edited October 2, 2017 by grayhair

[mowerman]

pretty discusting....not much else to add....bob

[david wild]

The only reason lefty's and the left news have not jumped on this as a terrorist attack even after Isis has taken claim is because then they would have to admit that Trump has been right all along, and the left does not have enough combined spine to do that. 

[david wild]

So some call us not to debate what has happened,  yet the left politicians have come out full steam for outright gun bans but us the voter should remain quiet ??? Ms. Warren is full steam ahead with her agenda, I read the CDC said that 3536 people drown in swimming pools or 10 per day, so in 5 days 50 plus will die and I have not heard one word about banning swimming pools, and children are the bulk of the victims ?? even more reason to ban pools, there are millions of gun owners who never break the law or kill someone yet let one wacko and the all gun owners are branded killers, maybe we should have the left leaning liberals be silent and take the wack jobs off the streets and not innocent gun owners.  I am sure that Clinton is doing her best to somehow tie Trump to this, and speaking of Clinton notice her husband the cigar man does say much about Trump ??  Hard to condemn when you have done worse. Bill keeps his mouth shut, Hillary is to stupid to know any better.  

[fxfymn]

God bless all who have lost so much and will never be able to enjoy life in the same way that the rest of us can. And a big thanks to those first responders and citizens who put their personal courage ahead of their fear and did what had to be done.

[kscarbel2]

2 hours ago, david wild said:

So some call us not to debate what has happened,  yet the left politicians have come out full steam for outright gun bans but us the voter should remain quiet ??? Ms. Warren is full steam ahead with her agenda, I read the CDC said that 3536 people drown in swimming pools or 10 per day, so in 5 days 50 plus will die and I have not heard one word about banning swimming pools, and children are the bulk of the victims ?? even more reason to ban pools, there are millions of gun owners who never break the law or kill someone yet let one wacko and the all gun owners are branded killers, maybe we should have the left leaning liberals be silent and take the wack jobs off the streets and not innocent gun owners.  I am sure that Clinton is doing her best to somehow tie Trump to this, and speaking of Clinton notice her husband the cigar man does say much about Trump ??  Hard to condemn when you have done worse. Bill keeps his mouth shut, Hillary is to stupid to know any better.  

Or how many toddlers died forgotten in cars over the last 12 months.

How many people are murdered in Chicago each month? How many in Detroit each month?

[BillyT]

I am a gun owner and believe in the right to keep and bear,but I don't believe the founding fathers had any Idea what carnage an AK or AR 15 could create! How about if you want to have some fun shooting your automatic weapon keep it under lock and key at the local shooting range?!  The founding fathers remembered King George and felt the citizens should be able to protect themselves against this type of ruler but there is little likelihood we would ever permit a person like that to get control! The Shooter like many of our other mass shooters showed no inclination of being a person that would perpetrate such an act,so how do you keep people like this from getting their hands on an automatic weapon? If he had a Glock hand gun or any sporting rifle or shotgun he couldn't have killed many people,before being caught! Also why was he able to get 20 weapons into a hotel room? There is no perfect solution,but we've got to do something better! There have been about 15 mass shootings since 2012!

 

[RowdyRebel]

7 hours ago, BillyT said:

I am a gun owner and believe in the right to keep and bear,but I don't believe the founding fathers had any Idea what carnage an AK or AR 15 could create! How about if you want to have some fun shooting your automatic weapon keep it under lock and key at the local shooting range?!  The founding fathers remembered King George and felt the citizens should be able to protect themselves against this type of ruler but there is little likelihood we would ever permit a person like that to get control! The Shooter like many of our other mass shooters showed no inclination of being a person that would perpetrate such an act,so how do you keep people like this from getting their hands on an automatic weapon? If he had a Glock hand gun or any sporting rifle or shotgun he couldn't have killed many people,before being caught! Also why was he able to get 20 weapons into a hotel room? There is no perfect solution,but we've got to do something better! There have been about 15 mass shootings since 2012!

 

If the 2nd Amendment is primarily to protect against a tyranical government, then why would you think our founders WOULDN'T want the good citizens to have access to the same weapons that the tyrant would have to use against them?  The Minutemen didn't show up at Lexington and Concord carrying knives and swords.  They had guns similar to that of the British army, because if they didn't, they wouldn't have stood a chance.  Standing up to a tyrant with weapons at the government's disposal carrying nothing but handguns and single shot rifles today would be the equivalent of the Minutemen carrying knives and swords.  What part of "SHALL NOT BE INFRINGED" don't you understand?

A law abiding citizen could have a nuclear arsenal in their basement and it wouldn't concern me...because they are law abiding and as such would never use those weapons against innocent civilians.  I would rather a criminal not have even a bb gun, because they do not respect the law or the rights of others and that bb gun will likely be used against innocent civilians.

The problem lies within the heart and mind of an evil person, not the tool he might choose to use.

[1958 F.W.D.]

[Mack Technician]

Looks like the apple only bounced once when it fell off the tree.......

Paddock's father, Benjamin Hoskins Paddock, was a bank robber who was placed on the FBI's most-wanted list in 1969 after he escaped from federal prison; he was taken off the list in 1977.^[50][51] The FBI wanted poster cited the perpetrator's father as being "diagnosed as psychopathic" and having "reportedly suicidal tendencies".^[39] According to Paddock's brother, they never met his father and rejected the idea that the shooting was a way to emulate his father's criminal tendencies.^[49]

The pic on the right looks like he would be a lot of fun at parties w/his nutty beard cleft.  

[macks in nigeria]

7 hours ago, 41chevy said:

I was "asked" by  not to comment by a few members because my views (in their opinion) turn every post I participate into a fight.  BUT I have two questions for you Billy.

 Your first post on this subject you immediately mentioned the NRA as being some how in this Why?  They aid the perp some how?

You as a gun owner surely realize the Automatic Weapons owned by private citizens, have been illegal since 1986 with out a massive and very costly in depth investigation by FBI, ATF, DHS, your State and,Local agencies . With no guarantee after you invest $10 to $15K and pass the check that you will still be allowed to own one.

Now if this post is considered argumentative or offensive or too Red and Blue political for our Foreign MACK fan or the others here I will delete it.

I have personally never considered your views extreme. My point on this thread was let us keep the issue at hand in focus. As to foreign Mack fan, Mack is a worldwide brand and America's gift to the world. Just in case you have forgotten it, now a Swedish owned brand based in the US and a few other countries. BMT of course is for all lovers of anything Mack from all parts of the world. Let's keep the thread on track.

[Lmackattack]

in the end violence is a society issue.  you can take every gun from every person in the world and you know what...... 4 or 5 crazy people each year will still find a way to try a mass killing. This tragedy is very rare It mirrors a slaughter like ambush that we only hear of from old war stories.  While this guy was a complete piece of shit the fact remains that there still will be more people just like him out there. A old friend of mine from Ireland said to me the other day that when he was growing up he had fear of walking the streets as the IRA could have planted a bomb anywhere. He came to America and that fear was gone. Sadly with all these crazies doing this crap he again has some of that fear again...

 

 

[RowdyRebel]

I was under the impression those were illegal. Seem to remember some trick with a string on an M1 Garand running between your finger, the action, and the trigger that would cause the action to pull the trigger for you for follow-up shots as fast as it would cycle and load the next round, until you released the string or the clip ejected.  Also seem to remember seeing where M1 Garands that had the string on them were deemed to be "fully automatic" by the ATF and therefore illegal.  That was probably 15 years ago, though, so maybe I'm just not remembering right.  Those bump stocks work in a similar manner.  Sure, the trigger has to be pulled 1 time for each shot, but the gun isn't supposed to be pulling its own trigger.