Authorities are still looking for clues to figure out the motivation behind the fact

Leer en Español: Las Vegas: “La peor masacre cometida en Estados Unidos”

More than 50 people were killed and more than 500 injured were transported to different hospitals in Las Vegas. The fatalities happened when a man opened fire on a crowd that was enjoying a country music festival on Sunday night. For Nevada state officials, and even for United States’ officials, it is the worst massacre committed in the modern history of the United States.

After numerous calls to the emergency hotline, the police activated a plan that quickly located the suspect. The individual was on the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay Hotel, which is adjacent to the area where the music festival was being held. At a press conference, the Sheriff of Las Vegas Joseph Lombardo established that there are police officers among the dead, as well as the author of the massacre, who reportedly committed suicide before the SWAT team could enter his hotel room.

For those attending the music festival, the night was quiet and when they started to see the flashes of lights above, they mistook them for fireworks. One of the attendees, while talking to the press, stated that he heard multiple bursts of ammunition being fired that stopped and started again that lasted for at least five minutes.

Lombardo also clarified that the rumors that are circulating on social networks are false, and that there were no more attackers. As a precautionary measure, authorities occupied the Las Vegas Main Strip and part of Interstate 15; the airport and airspace were temporarily closed.

The alleged suspect’s name is Stephen Paddock, a 64-year-old man. 19 weapons were found in his hotel room, including long-range rifles, as well as ammunition. Police immediately began the search for a woman, Marilou Danley, who allegedly accompanied Paddock. The possibility that the couple had been in the hotel since September 28th is one that is leading the police investigation. Despite the search for the woman, it is believed that the attacker is a “lone-wolf”, although the extremist Islamic State group has already claimed responsibility for the attack. But for federal investigative agencies, it is not yet possible to establish whether there is a connection or not between the attacker and the terrorist group.

Latin American Post | Carlos Eduardo Gómez Avella

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