Breaking News / National / Las Vegas NV: 59 People Confirmed Dead and 527 Injured, Hundreds of Police Respond, Shots Fired at Hotel Near Country Music Concert

Report by Paula Antolini
October 2, 2017 3:12AM EDT

Breaking News / National

Breaking News / National / Las Vegas NV: 59 People Confirmed Dead and 527 Injured, Hundreds of Police Respond, Shots Fired at Hotel Near Country Music Concert

Breaking News / National / Mandalay Bay casino / Las Vegas NV / active shooter scene:

Shootings occurred during a music concert according to a report by Fox News, “Country music star Jason Aldean was reportedly performing during the Route 91 Harvest Festival when the gunfire erupted. ” They also reported, “One witness told KSVN that he heard ‘hundreds of shots.’ ”

Las Vegas Metropolitan Police are discussing evacuating approx. 1,000 people from the Michael Jackson Theater in Las Vegas.

University Medical Center spokeswoman Danita Cohen said the Las Vegas hospital is taking in “several” people with gunshot wounds, reports Fox News.

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UPDATE: October 2, 2017 3:42AM EDT:

Tweet from Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department 12 minutes ago: “At this time we do not believe there are any more shooters. More information to come shortly from @Sheriff_LVMPD (Sheriff Joseph Lombardo)

Country music singer Jason Aldean, who was in concert during the shootings in Las Vegas, tweet from Fox News:

We are waiting for a news conference that is supposed to happen shortly.

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UPDATE: October 2, 2017 4:30AM EDT:

Sheriff Joseph Lombardo news conference:

Shooter (no name given) was on 32nd floor (of 43 floors) of the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino, was a local local resident, and is now dead.

Police are trying to locate the shooter’s companion, Marilou Danley, Asian, 4-foot-11, 111 pounds.  Looking for two vehicles with Nevada plate numbers, Hyundai Tucson 114-B40, and Chrysler Pacifica Touring 19D-401, registered to the shooter.

Sheriff Joseph Lombardo of Clark County told reporters 100+ injured, 20+ have died.

They believe “it is a lone-wolf,” lone shooter, no other shooters.

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UPDATE: October 2, 2017 8:30AM EDT:

22,000 people were packed into the country music singer Jason Aldean concert last night, with hardly anywhere to run for cover.

Shooter took his own life right before the SWAT team entered his hotel room forcefully, earlier this morning.

Once the SWAT team entered shooter’s hotel room, they quickly found shooter’s ID, that Stephen Paddock was from Mesquite, NV, living in “Sun City” retirement community.  Authorities immediately headed to his home and are planning on carefully approaching his room with robots in order to search it for the ongoing investigation, but are being very wary it could be rigged with explosives.

Authorities will track numbers on all weapons found in shooter’s hotel room, to try and track their origin.

All above (on this update) reported by NBC News.

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UPDATE: October 2, 2017 10:00AM EDT:

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UPDATE: October 2, 2017 10:15AM EDT:

Photo: The shooter has been identified as Stephen Paddock, 64, from Mesquite Nevada.

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UPDATE: October 2, 2017 10:23AM EDT:

Tweets from President Donald Trump, Vice President Mike Pence and Ivanka Trump beginning at approximately7:24AM EDT:

Click on images below to view larger.

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UPDATE: October 2, 2017 10:50AM EDT:

Trump press conference:

Trump called the tragedy, “An act of pure evil.”

About the Las Vegas police, he said, “The speed with which they acted is miraculous and prevented further loss of life.”

He said he will visit Las Vegas on Wednesday to meet with authorities and families of victims.

“In moments of tragedy and horror American comes together, it always has,” Trump said. “We pray for the day when evil is banished.”

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UPDATE: October 2, 2017 11:28AM EDT:

Read the full transcript of President Trump’s comments on the tragedy:

My fellow Americans, we are joined together today in sadness, shock and grief. Last night a gunman opened fire on a large crowd at a country music concert in Las Vegas, Nevada. He brutally murdered more than 50 people, and wounded hundreds more. It was an act of pure evil. The FBI and the Department of Homeland Security are working closely with local authorities to assist with the investigation, and they will provide updates as to the investigation and how it develops.

I want to thank the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, and all the first responders for their courageous efforts, and for helping to save the lives of so many. The speed with which they acted is miraculous, and prevented further loss of life. To have found the shooters so quickly after the first shots were fired is something for which we will always be thankful and grateful. It shows what true professionalism is all about.

Hundreds of our fellow citizens are now mourning the sudden loss of a loved one. A parent, a child, a brother or sister. We cannot fathom their pain, we cannot imagine their loss. To the families of the victims, we are praying for you and we are here for you, and we ask God to help see you through his very dark period. Scripture teaches us the

Lord is close to the brokenhearted, and saves those who are crushed in spirit. We seek comfort in those words, for we know that God lives in the hearts of those who grief.

To the wounded who are now recovering in hospitals, we are praying for our full and speedy recovery, and pledge to you our support from this day forward. In memory of the fallen, I have directed that our great flag be flown at half-staff. I will be visiting Las Vegas on Wednesday to meet with law enforcement, first responders and the families of the victims.

In moments of tragedy and horror, America comes together as one. And it always has. We call upon the bonds that unite us: our faith, our family, and our shared values. We call upon the bonds of citizenship, the ties of community, and the comfort of our common humanity. Our unity cannot be shattered by evil. Our bonds cannot be broken by violence. And though we feel such great anger at the senseless murder of our fellow citizens, it is our love that defines us today, and always will forever.

In times such as these, I know we are searching for some kind of meaning in the chaos, some kind of light in the darkness. The answers do not come easy. But we can take solace knowing that even the darkest space can be brightened by a single light, and even the most terrible despair can be illuminated by a single ray of hope.

Melania and I are praying for every American who has been hurt, wounded or lost the ones they loved so dearly in this terrible, terrible attack. We pray for the entire nation to find unity and peace, and we pray for the day when evil is banished and the innocent are safe from hatred and from fear. May God bless the souls of the lives that are lost, may God give us the grace of healing, and may God provide the grieving families with strength to carry on. Thank you, God bless America.

President Trump has ordered all American flags to be at half staff today.

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UPDATE October 2, 2017, 11:38AM

NV Sheriff Joseph Lombardo news conference:

Number has increased: 58 died, 515 injured.

There will be a long process of body and evidence recovery at scene of concert.

In next few hours, about 1PM, will request families

United Blood Service still needs blood donations.

FBI agent said, “No connection to International terrorist group.” (Isis statement).

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UPDATE October 2, 2017, 1:07PM

Gunman’s father, Benjamin Hoskins Paddock, was on FBI 10 most wanted fugitive list:

BENJAMIN “CHROMEDOME” PADDOCK Ex-Tucsonian Makes FBI List Of 10 Most Wanted By GILBERT T. MATTHEWS Citizen Staff Writer Known to his associates as “Chromedome,” “Old Baldy,” and “Big Daddy,” Benjamin Hoskins Paddock is Tucson’s contribution to the FBI’s list of 10 most-wanted fugitives. He made the list after escaping on Dec. 31, 1968, from the Federal Correctional Institution at La Tuna, Tex., where he was serving a 20-year sentence for robbing a Phoenix bank in 1960. Paddock — alias Perry Archer, Benjamin J. Butler, Leo Genstein, Pat Paddock and Patrick Benjamin Paddock — hasn’t been seen or heard from since. At the time of the robbery, Paddock lived in Tucson with his wife and four children. Neighbors said they couldn’t believe that the colorful businessman, then 34 years old, was involved in crime. Paddock sold garbage disposal units here under the business name of Arizona Disposer “Chromedome” Co. He called himself “Big Daddy” in connection with a night club operation on North 1st Avenue. Before selling the disposal units, he operated an East Broadway service station and also sold used cars. Although he was imprisoned for the S4,620 holdup of a branch of the Valley National Bank in Phoenix, Paddock also had been accused of two other bank robberies. Those charges were dropped after his conviction. Federal officers reported that when he was arrested in Las Vegas, Paddock attempted to run down an FBI agent with his car. “Since he has utilized firearms in previous crimes, has employed violence in attempting to evade arrest and has been diagnosed as being psychopathic, Paddock should be considered extremely dangerous,” said Palmer M. Baken Jr., agent in charge of the Phoenix FBI office. Baker described Paddock as being “A glib, smooth-talking man who is egotistical and arrogant.”

Paddock was “captured in 1978 in Oregon where he was running a bingo parlor.”

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UPDATE October 2, 2017, 2:12PM

Sara Sanders, White House Press Secretary, press conference:

President Trump will hold a moment of silence today at 2:45PM EST on the White House lawn.

“Today is a day of reflection, of mourning,” said Sanders.

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UPDATE October 2, 2017, 2:41PM

President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump, Vice President Mike Pence and Mrs. Karen Pence, stepped out of the White House onto the lawn for  moment of silence.  The flag was at half staff.

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UPDATE October 2, 2017, 6:00PM

59 people dead, 527 injured.

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