Las Vegas Mandala Bay shooting: What, where and who?
Police are investigating the shooting, which has left at least 50 people dead and more than 500 injured.
At least 58 people have been killed and more than 500 others injured during a mass shooting at a country music concert in the US state of Nevada.
What happened?
- An assailant killed at least 58 people and injured 515 others after opening fire during a country music festival outside the building of the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino on the Las Vegas Strip, an area that is usually packed with tourists.
- The identities of the victims have yet to be released.
Who is Stephen Paddock?
- Las Vegas Metropolitan Police named the suspected attacker as 64-year-old Stephen Paddock.
- In a statement, police said they found him dead in the hotel room from which they believe he carried out the attack.
- Police are still searching for a woman believed to be the suspect’s companion.
- Clark County Sheriff Joseph Lombardo described the assailant as a “lone wolf” and insisted that the police have “the situation under control”.
Where did it take place?
- The Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino is located on the Las Vegas Strip, an area lined with upscale casinos, hotels and tourist attractions.
- Las Vegas is a popular tourist destination for domestic and international travellers. Some figures estimate that an average of more than 40 million tourists visit the city each year, which is an average of more than 109,000 every day.
- The shooting happened during a country musical performance at the Route 91 Harvest festival. Photos posted on social media show attendees hitting the floor as others fled in panic.
- Over 22.000 people attended the concert, according to the Las Vegas police.
What are people saying?
- Eyewitnesses and concert attendees said the shots came from an elevated position in the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino.
- Cole Watson, who was at the concert with his wife and kids, said that “at first it sounded like someone was setting off a whole lot of firecrackers”.
- Watson said when everyone realised it was gunfire, “everybody started running”.
- In a televised address US President Donald Trump called the attack “an act of pure evil”.
- Trump praised the Las Vegas police and said that their rapid response prevented more deaths.
- Writing on Instagram, musician Jason Aldean, who was performing at the time of the shooting, described the incident as “beyond horrific” and said, “it hurts my heart”.
Source: Al Jazeera News