On Sunday night, a lone gunman opened fire on a huge outdoor music festival at Las Vegas near Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino. The gunman was firing from the 32nd floor of a Las Vegas hotel resulting in more than 50 victims dead and hundreds of people were injured. The Las Vegas Shooting incident became one of the deadliest mass shootings in the United States history. According to the Guardian, in a press conference, Sheriff Joe Lombardo said, "more than 400 were injured in the attack."
The shooting incident
A video surfaced on the internet that showed the attack outside the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino.
The video captured the country singer, Jason Aldean, performing outside at the Route 91 Harvest Festival -- a three-day country music event. It was the last night of the festival and it was interrupted by rapid gunfire.
According to one witness, the "non-stop gunfire" sent bystanders outside the resort on the Vegas strip ducking for cover and fighting for their lives. Fox News reported that according to Meghan Kearney, they heard a sound of a firecracker which turned out to be gunfire. She said that everybody was screaming because they were hit and other people were running. People kept dropping on the ground and other people were trying to help their friends. There were gunshots everywhere, she added.
According to Lombardo, at least one off-duty Las Vegas police officer was shot. Several other off-duty police officers are believed to be among the dead and injured.
What we know so far about Las Vegas shooting incident
Authorities have identified the alleged gunman as Stephen Paddock in the deadliest mass shooting ever recorded in American history.
He was 64 years old and from Mesquite, Nev. about 80 miles northeast of Las Vegas.
The police and SWAT responded to the scene and breached the door to the gunman's room on the 32nd floor of a hotel. The gunman was dead at the scene and the Metropolitan Police Department said that they believe there were no more shooters. The alleged gunman was believed to be a local resident, according to the police.
According to police, they found numerous firearms in Paddock's hotel room. The motive of the gunman for the shooting remains unclear but according to NBC news, it is not believed to be connected to terrorism.
The authorities are now looking for the companion of the gunman identified as Marilou Danley. According to authorities, "We're confident -- but not 100 percent sure -- we have located the female person of interest." The authorities described the companion as a female Asian traveling with the gunman.
