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Las Vegas shooting: 59 dead, at least 527 injured

By KIRO 7 News Staff and Cox Media Group National Content Desk
By KIRO 7 News Staff and Cox Media Group National Content Desk

At least 59 people were killed and hundreds more were injured Sunday night when a gunman opened fire on more than 22,000 people gathered near the Mandalay Bay Casino for a country music festival.

Police said the suspected gunman, identified as 64-year-old Stephen Craig Paddock, opened fire from the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay Hotel on people attending the Route 91 Harvest country music festival. Authorities found him dead in his hotel room, according to the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department.

>> See photos of the Las Vegas shooting response.

One of KIRO 7's sister stations, Boston 25, obtained images from inside the gunman's hotel room. Weapons and a hammer are seen on the floor.

Without evidence, Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attack, and the group said the shooter converted to Islam months ago. The FBI reports that the shooter had no connection to an international terrorist group.

It was the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history.

KEY DEVELOPMENTS

• 59 people dead; at least 527 people wounded

• Suspect killed by police. Identified as Stephen Paddock, 64, of Mesquite.

• Muzzle flashes seen from Mandalay Bay Hotel; 23 guns in room

• Shooting during Jason Aldean concert, part of Route 91 Harvest Festival.

• Police talked to Paddock's companion, Marilou Danley, who was out of the country.

Dozens of patrol vehicles descended on the Strip after authorities received reports of an active shooter near the Route 91 Harvest Festival.

Authorities shut down part of the Las Vegas Strip and Interstate 15.

Concert-goers reported seeing muzzle flashes from the upper floors of the Mandalay Bay Hotel and Casino across Las Vegas Boulevard from the country music festival and the sound of what they described as automatic gun fire.

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Witnesses say country singer Jason Aldean was playing near the end of the concert when gunfire rang out. Kodiak Yazzi, 36, said the music stopped temporarily and started up again before another round of pops sent the performers ducking for cover and fleeing the stage. The bursts of pops would start and stop for more than five minutes, Yazzi said.

Some officers took cover behind their vehicles while others carrying assault rifles ran into the Mandalay Bay Hotel and Casino. One local off-duty officer died, while two others who were on duty were wounded by gunfire, Clark County Sheriff Joe Lombardo sheriff said.

A search of Paddock's home found 19 guns and and thousands of rounds of ammunition.

LIVE UPDATES 

Updates from social media are being posted below. (If you are using the KIRO 7 news app, use this link to see the updates.)

Information from CBS News is included in this report.

Cox Media Group

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