Stephen C. Paddock has been identified as the lone shooter in the Las Vegas shooting that occurred at the Route 91 Harvest Festival, as reported by USA Today. The shooter is currently dead and suicide has been reported as the probable cause of death. Since news of the shooting broke, Paddock’s family has begun to speak out and his brother Eric, from Orlando, Florida, has been talking to the media. Get to know more about the shooter through his brother Eric, the incident itself, and how Eric Paddock views the tragedy.
1. Eric Paddock Said His Brother Had No Religious Affiliations, Prior to ISIS Reports
“Not an avid gun guy at all…where the hell did he get automatic weapons? He has no military background,” gunman’s brother says
In an interview with Daily Mail, Eric Paddock said that his brother had no political or religious affiliation of which he was aware. Paddock added that:
He was just a guy. Something happened, he snapped or something.
Clark County Sheriff Joseph Lombardo also told FOX News that a motive is not known, explaining:
We have no idea what his belief system was. Right now, we believe he was the sole aggressor and the scene is static.
Unfortunately, ISIS accounts online are claiming Stephen C. Paddock actually converted to Islam months ago and the shooting was on their behalf. It is unclear if this is coming from actual ISIS propaganda accounts or random supporters, though Good Morning America has begun discussing the possibilities of this as well.
BREAKING: Without providing evidence, Islamic State claims Las Vegas attack, says shooter converted to Islam months ago.
The Associated Press has posted the above tweet, announcing this news.
2. Stephen C. Paddock’s Family Is “Dumbfounded”
FacebookStephen Paddock.
Brother Eric Paddock tells Daily Mail that their family is confused and shocked. He explained:
We know absolutely nothing, this is just, we are dumbfounded … We have absolutely no idea. Our condolences go to the victims and all their families.
The Orlando Sentinel reports that, according to public records, much of Stephen C. Paddock’s family resides in Florida.
3. Paddock’s Family Is Worried About Being Attacked Over the Incident
David Becker/GettyThe scene of the shooting.
Eric Paddock says that his 90-year-old mother, who lives close to him, is struggling to cope with the news and is “in shock”. Paddock told Daily Mail:
Our family is OK, we’re sitting in here in our house hoping that everyone doesn’t attack us. My mother is 90 years old, lives down the street from me, we’re just completely dumbfounded.
Like his brother was reported to be, according to his Facebook page, Eric Paddock is retired, like several of his family members in Florida. Stephen C. Paddock was living in Nevada at the time of the shooting.
4. The Shooter and His Brother Were Not Very Close
David Becker/Getty ImagesPeople run from the Route 91 Harvest country music festival after apparent gun fire was heard on October 1, 2017 in Las Vegas, Nevada. There are reports of an active shooter around the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino.
Stephen C. Paddock and his brother’s relationship was not strained, but they were not very close. Eric Paddock said that he and his brother lived on different coasts and that they did not speak very often.
Eric Paddock said his brother was a regular at Las Vegas casinos, according to Good Morning America, and Stephen used to work as an accountant. In an interview with Las Vegas Review Journal, Paddock also said:
We have no idea how this happened. It’s like an asteroid just fell on top of our family.
He then added:
There is no reason we can imagine why Stephen would do something like this. All we can do is send our condolences to the people who died. Just no reason, no warning … As far as we knew, he had enough money to live the rest of his life in comfort.
Paddock said that, as much as he knew, his brother had no known health or financial problems at the time of the shooting.
5. This Was the Deadliest Shooting In US History
GettyThe scene at Route 90 Harvest.
With over 50 people dead and over 400 injured in the shooting, this is reported to be the deadliest shooting in American history. Country star Jason Aldean was on stage performing at the time of the shooting and he ran off stage once aware of what was happening. Shooter Stephen C. Paddock opened fire from a 32nd floor hotel room at the Mandalay Bay Hotel & Casino.