Facebook Stephen Paddock.
On Sunday night, Stephen Paddock opened fire on concertgoers from the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay Resort Hotel and Casino just after 10pm local time, killing at least 59 people and wounding more than 500. Paddock, 64, killed himself in the hotel room before police arrived.
Many questions still surround the massacre; namely, why did Paddock do it? What was his motive?
Speaking on TODAY, former FBI profiler Clint Van Zandt said, “All of the normal indicators that we would normally see, people two or three days later say, ‘A-ha, now I understand, I know what was going on in this guy’s life.” When it comes to Paddock, “we don’t know.”
Heavy has compiled a list of everything we know so far about Paddock and the authorities attempt to unlock his motive.
Authorities Are Eager to Speak with Marilou Danley
FacebookMarilou Danley.
Authorities are eager to speak with Marilou Danley, who Paddock’s brother has said is his live-in roommate.
Danley, 62, was reportedly in the Philippines when the shooting occurred, according to CBS. On Tuesday afternoon, NBC reported that that Paddock had wired $100,000 to an account in the Philippines, where Danley is from, last week. The outlet says it is unclear if that money was for her, her family, or another reason.
On Monday, officials told reporters that it is believed Danley was not involved in the shooting. Clark County Seriff Joe Lombardo said, “We have had conversations with her and we believed her, at this time, not to be involved. But obviously that investigation will continue. She was not with [Paddock] when he checked in. We have discovered he was utilizing some of her identification.”
Danely has lived in Nevada since 2003, according to records obtained by the Reno Gazette-Journal from Washoe County District County District Court.
Authorities plan on speaking to her once she returns to the US.
The FBI Has Found No Connection with an International Terrorist Group
Approximately 12 hours after the attack, the Associated Press reported that ISIS claimed responsibility for the attacks; ISIS said that Paddock was a ‘soldier’ who had converted to Islam months ago. No evidence has backed the claim, and it has been largely discounted.
The FBI has dismissed claims of ties to ISIS or any terrorist affiliations. In a press conference on Monday morning, FBI Special Agent Aaron Rouse said the FBI had found “no connection with an international terrorist group,” when it came to Paddock.
Peter Vincent, a former official at the Department of Homeland Security and a counterterrorism expert, tells NBC, “It’s a sign of their sheer desperation.” He later added, “They’re becoming a laughing stock when they make these sort of outrageous claims. It greatly harms their international reputation.”
Two Nevada Gun Shops Have Said Paddock Passed Background Checks
Photos of Las Vegas shooter Stephen Paddock’s hotel room Breaking News t.co/6w58eKE8BX
Two Nevada gun shops confirmed to NBC on Monday that Paddock passed the required background checks to purchase firearms.
In a statement, Christopher Sullivan, general manager of Guns & Guitars, said, “All necessary background checks and procedures were followed, as required by local, state, and federal law. He never gave any indication or reason to believe he was unstable or unfit at any time.”
Police say that a search of Paddock’s home in Mesquite turned up 19 firearms, along with the 23 guns found in his hotel room.
Paddock’s Brother Says He Saw No Signs of Potential Violence from His Brother
At this point, multiple people who knew Paddock have said they are shocked by his actions, and saw no signs of violence from the 64-year-old.
Speaking to CNN, Eric Paddock, Stephen’s brother, said Stephen was “just a guy”. “There’s absolutely no way I could conceive that my brother would shoot a bunch of people that he didn’t know.” He said, “Something just incredibly wrong happened to my brother.”
A former neighbor, Don Judy, who lived next to Paddock from 2013 to 2015 in the retirement community in Melbourne, Florida, told the outlet he was shocked to learn that Paddock was holding firearms and explosives in his home. “If there was any impression, I would say, guy had no idea what a gun was.” Judy added, “He was a gambler and a speculator, and he did that in Vegas… We’re up all night because we gamble.”
He Was the Son of a Bank Robber
NBC’s @PeterAlexander reports shooter’s father former FBI 10 Most Wanted bank robber Patrick Benjamin Paddock, aka Benjamin Hoskins Paddock
Stephen’s father, Patrick Benjamin Paddock, spent years on the FBI’s most wanted list. He was a bank robber, arrested in the early 1960s for robbing three banks in Phoenix, according to archived newspaper reports. In 1968, Patrick escaped from prison in Texas. According to a newspaper account obtained by Newsweek, he then robbed a bank in San Francisco.
When Eric, Paddock’s brother, spoke to reporters, he did not seem to think Stephen was in any way emulating their father. He told the cameras, “He was my brother, and it’s like an asteroid fell out of the sky… We’re still just completely dumbstruck.”
He Was a Gambler
“@CBSEveningNews: … Las Vegas shooter Stephen Paddock t.co/2fC8ewBVoX t.co/2cJkBOg8Y1” BUT MUSLIMS DON’T GAMBLE!?
The last time Paddock was employed full-time was 30 years ago. Erik tells reporters that he often gambled large amounts of money. “When you find out about him, like I said, he’s a guy who lived in a house in Mesquite and drove down and gambled in Las Vegas.”
Stephen regularly visited the Eureka Casino Resort in Mesquite according to the New York Times. Source tell the outlet that Paddock recently won a $20,000 jackpot.
Reports by NBC News on Tuesday afternoon suggest Paddock gambled with at least $160,000 in the past few weeks at various Las Vegas casinos.
