58 killed, over 500 injured at Las Vegas concert in deadliest US mass shooting

Las Vegas, October 2

A 64-year-old man armed with more than 10 rifles rained down gunfire on a Las Vegas country music festival on Sunday, slaughtering at least 58 people in the largest mass shooting in US history before killing himself.

The barrage from a 32nd-floor window in the Mandalay Bay hotel into a crowd of 22,000 people lasted several minutes, causing panic. Some fleeing fans trampled each other as police scrambled to find the gunman. More than 500 people were injured.

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

READ: Trump issues condolences for Vegas shooting; Pope, Obama call it 'senseless tragedy'

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

Police identified the gunman as area resident Stephen Paddock, 64, and said they had no information yet about his motive. Paddock shot himself before police entered the hotel room he was firing from, Clark County Sheriff Joseph Lombardo told reporters.

Earlier reports indicated that Paddock, who had more than 10 rifles in his hotel room, had been shot by police.

Paddock was not believed to be connected to any militant group, Clark County Sheriff Joseph Lombardo told reporters.

"He brutally murdered more than 50 people and wounded hundreds more. It was an act of pure evil," U.S. President Donald Trump said in a White House address. He ordered flags lowered to half-staff in a national gesture of mourning and said he would visit Las Vegas on Wednesday.

"We have no idea what his belief system was," Lombardo said. "We've located numerous firearms within the room that he occupied."

The Islamic State later claimed the attack calling Paddock a recent convert to Islam.

The militant group's propaganda agency, Amaq news, said: "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", 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.

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Authorities had earlier regarded Paddock's roommate as a person of interest, but later on Monday said they no longer regarded her as related to the case, CNN and Fox News reported, citing police sources.

The dead included one off-duty police officer, Lombardo said. 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.

'Just kept going on'

Video taken of the attack showed panicked crowds fleeing as sustained rapid gunfire ripped through the area.

"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, who had flown in for the concert.

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." Las Vegas's casinos, nightclubs and shopping draw some 3.5 million visitors from around the world each year and the area was packed with visitors when the shooting broke out shortly after 10 p.m. local time (0400 GMT).

Mike McGarry, a 53-year-old financial adviser from Philadelphia, 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.

The shooting broke out on the final night of the three-day Route 91 Harvest festival, a sold-out event attended by thousands and featuring top acts such as Eric Church, Sam Hunt and Jason Aldean.

"Tonight has been beyond horrific," Aldean said in a statement on Instagram. "It hurts my heart that this would happen to anyone who was just coming out to enjoy what should have been a fun night." 

'We are horrified'

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."

US President Donald Trump offered his condolences to the victims via a post on Twitter early Monday.

"My warmest condolences and sympathies to the victims and families of the terrible Las Vegas shooting. God bless you!" Trump said.

My warmest condolences and sympathies to the victims and families of the terrible Las Vegas shooting. God bless you!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 2, 2017

The rampage was reminiscent of a mass shooting at a Paris rock concert in November 2015 that killed 89 people, part of a wave of coordinated attacks by Islamist militants that left 130 dead.

The concert venue was in an outdoor area known as Las Vegas Village, across the Strip from the Mandalay Bay and the Luxor hotels.

"Our thoughts & prayers are with the victims of last night's tragic events," the Mandalay Bay said on Twitter.

Shares of US casino operators fell in premarket trading on Wall Street, with MGM Resorts International, which owns the Mandalay Bay, down 5 per cent. Melco Resorts & Entertainment Ltd, Wynn Resorts Ltd and Las Vegas Sands Corp each fell 1 to 2 per cent.

Shooting in Las Vegas. People fleeing (video from the Mandalay Bay hotel) pic.twitter.com/hs98J5uK6T

— Eiki Hrafnsson (@EirikurH) October 2, 2017

Officers in Las Vegas are packing shooting victims into squad cars, "I am transporting 5 critical patients in my car."

— Trey Yingst (@TreyYingst) October 2, 2017

Confirmed 2 dead Active shooters.At least 70 Victims
Las Vegas Blvd is shut down.Avoid all areas near #MandalayBay #LasVegas pic.twitter.com/h5mNa4p7wV

— STOP TERROR (@S_T_O_P_TERROR) October 2, 2017

Gunman shooting at people at the #MandalayBay concert in Las Vegas pic.twitter.com/JHv0PoPhbL

— Berenabas (@BerenabasG) October 2, 2017