JUST IN: Las Vegas shooter fired at fuel storage tanks at Las Vegas airport “with intent,” police say. https://t.co/O0pXTKVqV6 pic.twitter.com/7zmrzAczmx
— ABC News (@ABC) October 13, 2017
Sheriff Joe Lombardo of the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department is detailing further facts regarding the Route 91 Harvest Festival shooting that took place on Oct. 1. During a press conference on Friday, Lombardo stated that the gunman, Stephen Paddock, intentionally fired upon fuel storage tanks at the Las Vegas airport.
“It is believed the fuel tanks were fired upon with intent,” Lombardo said.
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While country singer Jason Aldean was performing at the music festival, Paddock opened fire on concertgoers from the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay Resort. In the shooting, which has been labeled the deadliest in modern U.S. history, 58 people were killed with more than 500 others being injured.
The news that Paddock possibly tried shooting at fuel tanks during his rampage surfaced earlier this week. However, it was not officially confirmed until Friday.
According to Lombardo, it was not likely that the gunfire could have triggered an explosion.
“I have been advised there is a very low probability that aviation fuel could be ignited by gunfire,” Lombardo continued.
Paddock’s room at the Mandalay Bay was reportedly located about 1,100 feet from the location of the fuel tanks. There are also multiple airplane hangars nearby.
More: Las Vegas Sheriff Growing Frustrated as Shooting Questions Go Unanswered
Mike Boyd, a Colorado-based aviation consultant, explained to the Las Vegas Review-Journal that jet fuel is difficult to ignite.
“A machine gun is not going to blow up a tank of fuel,” Boyd said. “Jet fuel itself sitting there in a big wet pile is very hard to ignite. You have to be a very amateur terrorist to think anything like that.”
FBI agents inspected the tanks and measured the line of fire. Sources state that the bullet holes in the fuel tanks have been repaired.
“Airport fueling has not been compromised,” McCarran International Airport spokesman Chris Jones said Wednesday. “It’s functional.”
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