Las Vegas shooting LIVE: 50 dead, over 400 hurt, MEA says no Indian victims

People run from the Route 91 Harvest country music festival after apparent gun fire was heard in Las Vegas on Monday. Photo: AFP

At least 50 people died and more than 400 more hurt when 64-year-old Stephen Paddock, with an arsenal of at least 10 rifles, fired on a Las Vegas country music festival on Sunday, raining down bullets from a 32nd floor window for minutes before killing himself.

The death toll, which police emphasized was preliminary, would make the massacre the deadliest mass shooting in US history, eclipsing last year’s massacre of 49 people at an Orlando night club.

Some 22,000 people were in the crowd when Paddock opened fire, sparking a panic in which some people trampled on others, as law enforcement officers scrambled to locate the gunman.

Shocked concertgoers, some with blood on their clothes, wandered the streets afterwards.

Police said they had no information about Paddock’s motive, and that he had no criminal record and was not believed to be connected to any militant group. Paddock killed himself before police entered the hotel room he was firing from, Clark County Sheriff Joseph Lombardo told reporters.

“We have no idea what his belief system was,” Lombardo said.

Here are the latest updates and developments from the Las Vegas shooting incident:

■ No report of any Indian national affected in the Las Vegas shooting incident, the ministry of external affairs has said. (PTI)

■ Islamic State has claimed responsibility for the Las Vegas shooting and said the attacker had converted to Islam a few months ago. “The Las Vegas attack was carried out by a soldier of the Islamic State and he carried it out in response to calls to target states of the coalition,” the group’s news agency Amaq said in reference to the US-led coalition fighting the group in the Middle East. “The Las Vegas attacker converted to Islam a few months ago,” Amaq added. (Reuters)

■ The suspected shooter’s brother, Eric Paddock, said the family was stunned by the news. “We have no idea. We’re horrified. We’re bewildered and our condolences go out to the victims,” Eric Paddock said in a brief telephone interview, his voice trembling. “We have no idea in the world.” (Reuters)

■ “It sounded like fireworks. People were just dropping to the ground. It just kept going on,” said Steve Smith, a 45-year-old visitor from Phoenix, Arizona, of the Las Vegas shooting. He said the gunfire went on for an extended period of time. “Probably 100 shots at a time. It would sound like it was reloading and then it would go again,” Smith said. “People were shot and trying to get out. A lot of people were shot.” (Reuters)

■ Among the 50 dead in the Las Vegas shooting was an one off-duty police officer. Two on-duty officers were injured, including one who was in stable condition after surgery and one who sustained minor injuries, Lombardo said. Police warned the death toll may rise. Police are still finding people who had taken cover during the attack, Lombardo said. “It’s going to take time for us to get through the evacuation phase,” Lombardo said. (Reuters)

■ LVPD’s Lombardo said there were more than 10 rifles in the room where Paddock killed himself after checking into the hotel on Thursday. Paddock was not known to law enforcement, Lombardo said.

■ The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department identified the lone suspect involved in the late night mass shooting on the Las Vegas Strip as 64-year-old, Stephen Craig Paddock, a white male from Mesquite, Nevada. Read the police department’s statement.

Paddock opened fire on a crowd of more than 22,000 concert-goers from his hotel room on the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay Hotel on Sunday evening at approximately 10.08 pm.

The LVMPD statement also said “This is still an active investigation. The Federal Bureau of Investigations is asking for anyone with videos or photos concerning the shooting to call 1-800-CALLFBI or (800) 225-5324.”

■ Homeland Security: No ‘specific credible threat’ to other public venues in US after Las Vegas shooting. (AP)

■ Las Vegas police found at least eight guns in the 32nd floor hotel room from which a gunman opened fire at concertgoers below, killing at least 50 and injuring more than 200, police said.

Undersheriff Kevin McMahill told CNN a police SWAT team found “a number of long rifles” after confronting the gunman in the hotel room. “There was at least eight guns,” he said. (AFP)

■ Shares of Las Vegas casino operators fell as much as 5% in premarket trading on Monday after a gunman killed at least 50 people and wounded over 200 others in a mass shooting on the Las Vegas strip.

MGM Resorts International, which owns the Mandalay Bay hotel from where the gunman opened fire, was down %. Melco Resorts & Entertainment Ltd, Wynn Resorts Ltd and Las Vegas Sands Corp each fell 1% to 2%. (Reuters)

■ Shooter believed to have checked into hotel room last Thursday, said Las Vegas sheriff. (Reuters)

■ More than 400 victims were taken to hospital after a mass shooting in Las Vegas which left 50 people dead, police said on Monday. Approximately 406 people were transported to area hospitals, the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department said in a statement which also put the toll from Sunday night’s shooting at 50.

Police had previously said at least 50 people had been killed at the country music festival and put the number of injured at more than 200.

It was not immediately clear if the 406 included anyone who was later pronounced dead in hospital. (AP)

■ Pope Francis on Monday described a deadly shooting at a Las Vegas concert as a “senseless tragedy” after at least 50 people were gunned down and over 200 others wounded.

“Deeply saddened to learn of the shooting in Las Vegas, Pope Francis sends the assurance of his spiritual closeness to all those affected by this senseless tragedy,” the Vatican said in a telegram.

“He commends the efforts of the police and emergency service personnel, and offers the promise of his prayers for the injured and for all who have died,” it added.

Las Vegas shooting is deadliest in modern US history

■ Vice-president Mike Pence posted on Twitter, saying he and his wife were praying for the victims.

■ Popular American country singer Jason Aldean, who was performing when a gunman opened fire on concert-goers in Las Vegas, today described the deadliest mass shooting in modern US history as “beyond horrific.”

“Tonight has been beyond horrific. I still don’t know what to say but wanted to let everyone know that me and my crew are safe,” Aldean wrote on his Instagram account.

“My thoughts and prayers go out to everyone involved tonight. It hurts my heart that this would happen to anyone who was just coming out to enjoy what should have been a fun night,” CNN quoted the 40-year-old singer as writing.

The two-time Academy of Country Music Entertainer of the Year Award winner has sold 15 million albums. (PTI)

■ Two on-duty LVMPD officers were injured during the shooting. One is in stable condition after surgery and the other sustained minor injuries, Las Vegas police said in a tweet.

In another update from Las Vegas police, “Flamingo Rd is open both directions. Tropicana and Russell Rd. remain closed at this time. Hotels are open for traffic except @MandalayBay.”

■ US President Donald Trump has posted on Twitter to say his “warmest condolences and sympathies” are with the Las Vegas victims and their families.

■ More than 50 people have been killed and at least 200 injured, Las Vegas police officials confirmed in a second press briefing. Clark County sheriff says police found one of vehicles that belonged to suspect in Las Vegas shooting.

Sheriff identifies slain suspect in Las Vegas as Stephen Paddock, provides no further information.

Police in Las Vegas believe they have located woman of interest in shooting on strip, the sheriff added.

■ Las Vegas Police to have another briefing shortly with sheriff regarding their investigation into the Strip shooting.

Sheriff Joseph Lombardo had earlier said they believe this was a “lone wolf” attack but said they are looking for a roommate of the dead suspect as a person of interest.

■ Mike McGarry, a 53-year-old financial adviser from Philadelphia, said he was at the concert when he heard hundreds of shots ring out.

“It was crazy - I laid on top of the kids. They’re 20. I’m 53. I lived a good life,” McGarry said. The back of his shirt bore footmarks, after people ran over him in the panicked crowd. (Reuters)

■ Police described the suspect as being a local Las Vegas man who acted alone and was not believed to be connected to any militant group, Clark County sheriff Joseph Lombardo told reporters.

The attack was the deadliest mass shooting in the United States since a gunman who pledged allegiance to the Islamic State militant group killed 49 people at an Orlando nightclub in June 2016.

“We have no idea what his belief system was,” Lombardo said. “Right now, we believe he was the sole aggressor and the scene is static.” (Reuters)

■ Authorities were seeking a woman they named as Marilou Danley, he said. He described her as Asian, 4 foot 11 inches (1.5 m) tall, 111 pounds (50 kg). He gave no details of whether she was suspected of involvement in the attack but described her as an “associate”.

Police were also searching for two cars that belonged to the suspect. (Reuters)

■ US media, including Fox News, reported that Aldean was performing around 10:45pm local time on Sunday when the rampage began but that he had been bundled safely off stage at the event outside the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in the Nevada gambling mecca.

CNN reported all the artists were safe.

■ Las Vegas police has released the image of a suspect for questioning into the active shooter incident.

“Marilou Danley is being sought for questioning in the investigation into the active shooter incident. If seen please call 9-1-1!,” Las Vegas police said in a tweet.

■ British PM Theresa May says Uk’s thoughts are with the victims of the Las Vegas attack. (Reuters)

■ Las Vegas police update: “Freeways have been reopened for through traffic. However the OFF RAMPS heading eastbound are CLOSED from Sahara Ave. to Russell Rd.”

■ Las Vegas police says they are “searching for two vehicles associated with the shooter: Hyundai Tucson Nevada/114B40 and a Chrysler Pacifica Nevada/79D401.”

■ Police apprehended Las Vegas shooting suspect on 32nd floor of mandalay bay, where he died: sheriff. (Reuters)

■ Police search for a female companion who travelled with suspect before Las Vegas shooting: sheriff. (Reuters)

■ At least 20 people were killed and more than 100 wounded when a gunman opened fire on a country music concert in Las Vegas, police said.

“We have in excess of 100-plus injured and excess of 20- plus that have died at this point,” Las Vegas Metro Police sheriff Joseph Lombardo told a press conference. The gunman, who was a local man, was killed after police “engaged the suspect,” Lombardo told reporters. (AFP)

■ A Southern California police department says one of its off-duty officers was shot during the attack on a Las Vegas concert.

Several officers from the Bakersfield Police Department were attending the Route 91 Harvest Music Festival on Sunday when a gunman opened fire. One was shot and taken to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries. Authorities did not release his name. (AP)

■ Some flights have resumed at the Las Vegas airport after all planes were temporarily grounded due to the deadly shooting on the Strip. (AP)

■ A twitter user has posted a footage of the Jason Aldean concert initially carrying on as multiple shots are heard.

■ A media briefing is by Joseph Lombardo, Sheriff of the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, is due at 12.45pm local time.

Meanwhile, “Limited flight activity has resumed at @LASairport. Please monitor flight status with your airline. Expect on going delays,” said a tweet from McCarran airport.

■ Las Vegas police say one suspect is ‘down’ after shooting at country music festival that has left two people dead and dozens wounded. (AP)

■ Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department said on Twitter: “Confirming that one suspect is down. This is an active investigation. Again, please do not head down to the Strip at this time.” (AP)

■ Flights at Mccarran International Airport were temporarily halted after the reported shooting, the airport said on Twitter.

■ University Medical Center spokeswoman Danita Cohen said 26 people were admitted to the hospital. She says, of those, at least two have died, 12 are in critical condition and the rest are being evaluated.

■ Dozens of patrol vehicles descended on the Strip after authorities received reports of an active shooter near the Route 91 Harvest Festival.

Authorities shut down part of the Las Vegas Strip and Interstate 15.

■ Concert-goers reported seeing muzzle flashes from the upper floors of the Mandalay Bay hotel-casino across Las Vegas Boulevard from the Route 91 Harvest country music festival and the sound of what they described as automatic gun fire.

Witnesses say they saw multiple victims Sunday night as they fled the gunfire raining down on the concert venue. Some later huddled in the basement of the nearby Tropicana hotel-casino. (AP)

■ Multiple victims were being transported to hospitals after a shooting late Sunday at a music festival on the Las Vegas Strip. (AP)

■ Dozens of patrol vehicles descended on the Strip after authorities received reports of an active shooter near the Route 91 Harvest Festival. (AP)

■ Some officers took cover behind their vehicles while others carrying assault rifles ran into the Mandalay Bay Hotel and Casino. (AP)

■ University Medical Center spokeswoman Danita Cohen said the Las Vegas hospital is taking in “several” people with gunshot wounds. She didn’t have any other immediate information. (AP)

■ Witnesses say country singer Jason Aldean was playing near the end of the concert when gunfire rang out. (AP)

— Agencies contributed to the live updates