Published On : Mon, Oct 2nd, 2017

Video: Over fifty killed and more than 200 injured in worst shootout of USA in Las Vegas

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Las Vegas: More than 50 people were killed in the worst mass shooting in modern American history when a lone wolf gunman opened fire into an outdoor country music festival from the 32nd floor of Las Vegas’ Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino on Sunday night, police said.

More than 200 people were injured in the mass shooting as performer Jason Aldean was onstage, Sheriff Joseph Lombardo said at a news conference.

Aldean, who was named the Academy of Country Music’s Entertainer of the Year in April 2017, was on stage performing on the final night of the three-day Route 91 Harvest festival at the Las Vegas Village when the first shots rang out.

Aldean later said via Instagram that he and his band were safe.

Witnesses said that the first round of shots sounded like fireworks. Only after the second burst of gunfire did the band stop playing.

“After the second round… everybody hit the ground around us,” concert-goer Sean said on TODAY news channel. “It seemed like people were hit everywhere.”

The gunman was identified by law enforcement officials as 64-year-old Stephen Paddock, a resident of Mesquite, Nevada.


Police responded to reports of the shooting just after 10 p.m. (1 a.m. ET), and the suspect, Stephen, was fatally shot in the Mandalay Bay Resort, officials said.

Authorities found several weapons in Paddock’s room after using explosives to enter, law enforcement officials reported. It was not immediately clear what kinds of weapons were located.

At least one off-duty Las Vegas police officer was shot, said Lombardo. Several other off-duty police officers are believed to be among the dead and injured.

Police have located Paddock’s roommate, Marilou Danley, a 62-year-old Asian female, for questioning, said Lombardo. They also found two vehicles they had been searching for: a Hyundai Tuscon and a Chrysler Pacifica Touring, both with Nevada license plates.

Earlier, police shut down the area and urged the public to stay away. Flights in and out of the airport were temporarily halted.

President Donald Trump was briefed on the shooting and the administration is monitoring the developments, White House spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders said. President tweeted his condolences.