As the number of reported dead and injured from the Las Vegas shooting rises, the Islamic terror group ISIS has claimed responsibility. However, at this morning’s press conference, a representative from the FBI as well as Clark County Sheriff Joseph Lombardo, claimed that they have not discovered any evidence that the claim by is true.
The news agency Reuters reported that “Islamic state claims Las Vegas shooting, says attacker recent convert to Islam”. The report went on to say that ISIS claimed that "The Las Vegas attack was carried out by a soldier of the Islamic State and he carried it out in response to calls to target states of the coalition," the group's news agency Amaq said in reference to the U.S.-led coalition fighting the group in the Middle East. "The Las Vegas attacker converted to Islam a few months ago," Amaq added. (Reporting by Ali Abdelaty; Writing by Arwa Gaballa; Editing by Ahmed Aboulenein)
It is not yet known if ISIS is only trying to gain attention by making the claim or they were actually involved in the crime. Did the shooter convert to Islam a few months ago as the terror organization claims?
As of 1300 hours (EST) the following are facts that we know about the mass murderer:
Who is Stephen Paddock? Las Vegas shooter, 64, was a licensed pilot and hunting enthusiast with no criminal record who owned a $400,000 home in a Nevada retirement community
The man suspected of killing at least 59 people and injuring 515 when he opened fire on concert goers Sunday night has been identified as Stephen Paddock
His dead body was discovered by police in a room at the Mandalay Bay Resort after he took his own life, with 'over 10 rifles' discovered on the scene
Paddock, 64, lived just 90 minutes outside Las Vegas in the city of Mesquite, where he bought a home in a retirement community back in 2015
He lived at the $400,000 property with girlfriend Marilou Danley, 62, the same woman police sought out for questioning about the terror attack
Paddock had hunting and fishing licenses as was as his pilot's license, and may have worked at Lockheed Martin as an auditor according to public records
He had no criminal record in the state of Nevada and officials said at a press conference early Monday that they are still looking into his possible motive
Paddock's father was a serial bank robber who was 'diagnosed as psychopathic' and spent eight years on the FBI Most Wanted list after escaping prison.
The following images from the NYTimes shows an overview of the crime scene:
Sources:
Reuters http://news.trust.org/item/20171002142139-okyax
Daily Mail.com http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4940918/Details-Las-Vegas-shooting-suspect-Stephen-Paddock.html
Photos: NBCNews, Google Images and the NYTimes
