What Happened in Las Vegas?

On the night of October 1^st, 2017, thousands attended a large, open-air concert called the Route 91 Harvest festival on the Las Vegas strip. At 10:08pm, shots began to ring out—some concertgoers reported that they thought fireworks were going off. For nine to eleven minutes the gunfire continued, wounding over 500 people and killing 58. Sadly, this incident is not alone in our country. Three of the top four worst mass shootings in the United States occurred within the last five years. 49 were killed last year at an Orlando nightclub and 27 at the 2012 Sandy Hook schoolyard shooting.

At Pallegar Law, P.A., we want to protect your right to own a firearm. However, it’s difficult to look at these recent massacres without thinking about the gun laws in our country. It’s estimated that our citizens currently own more than half a million automatic weapons or machine guns. The tragedies that are committed with these kinds of weapons shake our country to the core.

Why do these incidents happen? And how do we stop them from happening? These questions are at the forefront of the discussion right now. Stephen Paddock, the perpetrator of the Vegas shooting, had no significant religious or cultural affiliation. He was a 64-year old white man from Mesquite, Nevada. He was a retired accountant with no criminal history and a penchant for gambling.

According to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms, Paddock had been stockpiling firearms since 1982. From October 2016 to September 2017, Paddock bought a total of 33 guns, mainly rifles. He rigged 12 rifles with devices that allowed them to fire continuously, like an automatic firearm. The purchase of multiple rifles does not raise any red flags to law enforcement, so Paddock was able to silently purchase these firearms.

Paddock bought a luxury room on the 32^nd floor of the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino, and carried 23 firearms up to his room. He also placed cameras around the hotel, seemingly to monitor police activity. Shooting from his high-rise window, he sprayed bullets down on the festival audience. Investigators are struggling to find a motive for this crime, but the recent emergence of Paddock’s girlfriend may provide clues.

On the night of the shooting, Paddock’s girlfriend Marilou Danley was in the Philippines. She arrived back in the U.S. late Tuesday night, and was met with FBI agents at the airport. She is considered at important witness, and able to shed light on the situation around this terrible crime. One week earlier, Paddock allegedly wired $100,000 to a bank account in the Philippines—the country where Danley was staying. If anything, Danley may be able to provide an explanation for this crime, a reason why someone with a clean criminal record and seemingly no motive, would commit such an atrocity.

Our hearts are with everyone affected by the incidents in Las Vegas. For expert criminal defense representation, contact our firm at 941-893-5816.