Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/882846
maltatoday, WEDNESDAY, 4 OCTOBER 2017 8 World News IT was past 10 pm on a Sat- urday night. As Jason Aldean played one of the last songs in his set, country fans were dancing and singing, enjoying what had so far been a great night at the Route 91 Harvest festival. At first, they heard what seemed to be fireworks. It was only until people started dropping to the ground that they realized gunshots were being fired. Music had stopped abruptly as Jason Aldean and his crew rushed off stage, but the ambi- ance was far from being silent. As 64-year-old Stephen Paddock rained bullets down from the 32nd floor of a flashy Vegas hotel 22,000 people made a run for their lives. A mixture of panic and disbelief struck the crowd. While some looked for shel- ter under the festival's tents others aimed for the exit. In the midst of chaos and may- hem, many stumbled on top of each other. Those who made it to the exit sought refuge in cars, buses or just kept on running in the hope of surviving what would later be known as the worst mass shooting in mod- ern American history. As panic perpetuated in the streets of the Las Vegas strip, up on the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay Resort, police located the gunman's room and blasted their way in. Officers entered the luxury suite 1 hour and 12 minutes after the first 911 call to find the suspect lying dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound next to his 23 firearms. A city named for its vibrant life now lies in the shadow of mourning after more than 59 people have died and 525 have been injured. The victims More than 59 people have died and 525 people have been injured. Police empha- sised that this was a prelimi- nary figure. The gunman The suspected gunman in the Las Vegas shooting has been identified as 64-year-old Stephen Paddock from Mes- quite, NV. The shooter acted alone, had no criminal re- cord and was not believed to be connected to any militant group, according to police. LAS VEGAS SHOOTING HOW IT HAPPENED THE 64-year-old opened fire from the 32nd floor of a Vegas hotel onto the 22,000-strong crowd at a country music festival. He had more than 10 rifles in his room at the time of the attack. But who was Stephen Paddock, the man behind the worst mass shooting in modern American history? Hobbies Paddock was a licensed pilot, who owned two planes. He also had a hunting licence from Alaska. Gambling habit Senior law enforcement officials and a casino executive say that Paddock had gambled more than $10,000 per day on multiple occasions at casinos in Las Vegas in the weeks before 2 October. An executive and officials cited several occasions when Paddock gambled amounts over $20,000 (€17,040) and $30,000 (€25,560) in a single day. Job Paddock moved between 27 residences in California, Texas and Nevada. Public records show he was employed by a predecessor company of Lockheed Martin between 1985 and 1988 as an "internal auditor". Family 'horrified' Stephen's brother Eric Paddock said he was a peaceful man and that his family had "no idea in the world" of what he would do. "We're horrified. We're bewildered and our condolences go out to the victims," Paddock said. The 64-year-old moved back to Nevada, where gambling is legal, partly because of his fondness for video poker, according to his brother. "He's never drawn his gun, it makes no sense," said Paddock, adding that his brother may have owned a couple of handguns he kept in a safe, perhaps a long rifle, but "no automatic weapons". Father on FBI Most-Wanted list Gunman Stephen Paddock's father Patrick Benjamin Paddock was a violent bank robber who was on the FBI's Most-Wanted list in the 1960s. He was described as psychopathic in an arrest warrant. No criminal record Police said Paddock had no criminal record. "We haven't had any traffic stops. We haven't had any law enforcement contacts, no arrests or nothing (for Paddock)," said Mesquite Public Information Officer Quinn Averett. Paddock's home searched In a preliminary search of Paddock's home, located in a "retirement community area", authorities found firearms. "I believe there were some weapons found and maybe some ammunition. As far as what type or how many, I can't give that information now because I don't know it," said Averett. The property was located in a new area for those 55-years-old and older. "It's really quiet. It is a cul de sac," Averett said. Who was the Las Vegas gunman?