Las Vegas sheriff says no evidence was found of a second shooter, or of a link with terrorist groups or ideologies https://t.co/1HW4XTbGCT
— CNN (@CNN) October 9, 2017
Las Vegas Sheriff Joseph Lombardo held another press conference on Monday afternoon to update the public on the current status of the Route 91 Harvest Festival Shooting investigation.
Among the topics discussed were the security guard’s confrontation with domestic terrorist Stephen Paddock, the shooter’s medications and who has been recently interviewed by authorities.
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Lombardo also dispelled rumors about the investigation that are still circling.
Scroll through to see the various topics discussed.
Current Interview Subjects
Lombardo revealed several key witnesses have been thoroughly interviewed.
Paddock’s brother, Eric, is currently in Las Vegas for questioning and has fully cooperated with police.
The gunman’s girlfriend, Marilou Danley, has also been interviewed about his gun purchases, among other topics.
The sheriff also revealed that Jesus Campos, the security guard who first encountered Paddock, is shaken up but was able to give a thorough account of what he witnessed.
Campos’ Details
Among the details revealed by Lombardo was that Campos encountered the shooter before the main attack on festival goers began.
“The timeline associated with the original shot with Mr. Campos has changed through investigation,” Lombardo said. “What we have learned is that Mr. Campos was encountered by the suspect prior to his shooting to the outside world.”
They clarified that Campos responded to the room when the door was still open. That’s when their altercation happened.
Also during this ordeal, Campos was able to warn a maintenance worker on the floor of the situation, therefore preventing the latter from getting in harm’s way.
Rumor Clarifications
The sheriff also decided to clarify some of the misunderstandings surrounding the case.
He once again said there was no evidence of a second shooter being involved. Furthermore, Paddock had not been seen with anyone else during the days leading up to the crime, citing more than 200 pieces of evidence they have of his whereabouts.
As for his rumored ties to terrorist groups, Lombardo also painted those accusations as false. There is no evidence linking him to any such organizations.
He also clarified that a clear motive has still not been identified. He said there were no particular event to key in on that would have caused him to lash out this way.
Other Clarifications
Additionally, Lombardo clarified his theory that Paddock had intended to flee the scene before deciding to die by suicide.
Lombardo said there were no clear indication that the terrorist explicitly had a getaway plan. However, his targeting of fuel tanks, the explosives in his personal vehicle, and the presence of defense equipment in the hotel room leads Lombardo to theorize he intended to escape at one point.
He also said the list of numbers found in the hotel room had no clear meaning tied to calculations, despite reports to the contrary.
He also said they’ve found evidence of Paddock’s medication use, but he did not disclose specifics. He also said the gunman was gambling the night before the attack, but they were not ready to release the timeline of movements the day of the shooting.
