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Stephen Paddock, 64, has been identified as the suspect in the Las Vegas concert shooting that took place on Sunday night. Paddock had been staying at the Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino since Thursday. Last night, police say that Paddock opened fire from the 32nd story of the hotel, taking aim at thousands of people who were attending the Route 91 country festival across the street.
Paddock shot hundreds of rounds, killing 58 people and injuring over 500 more. According to law enforcement, more than 10 rifles were found in Paddock’s hotel room. He committed suicide before police found him. Law enforcement officials were alerted to Paddock’s room by a smoke alarm that had gone off because of all of the gun smoke.
Below are some photos of Mandalay Bay from earlier today. The hotel is located on the south end of the Las Vegas strip. The photos show two windows on the 32nd floor completely shattered, suggesting that the shooter just blasted through them with his guns. The windows in most Las Vegas hotels do not open. That can differ from hotel to hotel and can vary if someone is staying in a suite.
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“Associated Press and Getty photos show a second window broken on the same floor, where drapes billowed out of the broken glass. Police didn’t specify which the shooter used, or if he shot out of both,” the Business Insider reported.
Around 8 a.m. local time, several hours after the hotel was evacuated, Mandalay Bay was reopened to the public and guests were allowed to head back to their hotel rooms.
Security personnel have lifted all restrictions on access to Mandalay Bay and other MGM Resorts. Guests may return to their rooms.
As people begin to trickle back into the hotel, everything is pretty quiet. People who are in Vegas, whether to report on the news or on vacation have referred to the south end of the strip as a “ghost town.” Many casino floors are completely empty, restaurants are closed, and people are just trying to collect their thoughts following such an unthinkable tragedy.
