58 Killed, More Than 500 Injured In Attack At Jason Aldean Concert In Las Vegas, Shooter Identified As Stephen Paddock

Stephen Craig Paddock, 64, has been identified as the shooter at the Jason Aldean concert in las Vegas on Sunday.

STEPHEN CRAIG PADDOCK IDENTIFIED AS CONCERT SHOOTER

The lone gunman shot into the crowd at the outdoor venue from his 32nd floor hotel room at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino. More than 50 people have been pronounced dead, with another 406 injured, making this the deadliest mass shooting in modern American history.

Paddock had at least 10 weapons, including rifles, stockpiled in his hotel room. He shot at the crowd reportedly for about ten minutes starting around 10:08 pm, but killed himself before police found him in his room. “Right now, we believe it’s a sole actor, a lone-wolf-type actor,” said Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Sheriff Joseph Lombardo at a press conference.

“We heard what sounded like firecrackers going off. Then all of a sudden we heard what sounded like a machine gun. People started screaming that they were hit… When we started running out, there were probably a couple hundred [people] on the ground,” witness Meghan Kearney told NBC News. “People kept dropping and dropping… People were getting shot one foot away from us. People were trying to save their friends. There were gunshots everywhere. Helping them would’ve meant that we got shot, too.”

Paddock is believed to have checked into his hotel on Sept. 28, and had an “excess of ten rifles” hidden in the room. It is unclear if he had specifically requested a high-floor room, or if he had stopped housekeepers from entering the room in the days prior. Paddock was from Mesquite, Nevada, and had no prior criminal history. He received a citation several years ago that was “handled as a normal practice” by the courts.

The shooting began while Aldean was on stage with Jake Owens. Both performers and their teams have been deemed safe. “It got faster and faster, almost like it was an automatic rifle,” Owens said. “At that point, everyone on stage started running everywhere. It wasn’t something that was quick. It was chaos for a pure seven to ten minutes.”

Paddock’s roommate, Marilou Danley, 62, has been found and questioned, but police don’t believe she played any part in the shooting. A search of their home in Mesquite is currently underway. The shooter’s brother Eric Paddock has also been questioned, and he claims he is “dumbfounded” by the news. “He was just a guy,” he said. “He lives in Mesquite, he went to the hotels, he gambled, he went to shows. We are completely at a loss.”

Aldean took to Instagram after the incident to let fans know he is safe, and to offer his prayers and condolences to the victims. “Tonight has been beyond horrific. I still dont know what to say but wanted to let everyone know that Me and my Crew are safe. My Thoughts and prayers go out to everyone involved tonight. It hurts my heart that this would happen to anyone who was just coming out to enjoy what should have been a fun night. #heartbroken #stopthehate,” he wrote.

Donald Trump and Mike Pence also tweeted their condolences. “My warmest condolences and sympathies to the victims and families of the terrible Las Vegas shooting. God bless you!” the president wrote. “The hearts & prayers of the American people are with you. You have our condolences and sympathies. To the courageous first responders, thank you for your acts of bravery,” the VP added.