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Las Vegas police: Still no clear motive in mass shooting

LVMPD: Still no clear motive in mass shooting
Posted at 1:59 PM, Oct 06, 2017
and last updated 2017-10-06 21:47:37-04

Las Vegas police are continuing to investigate the motive of mass shooting suspect Stephen Paddock.

In a press conference Friday, Undersheriff Kevin McMahill said investigators have gone through more than 1,000 leads but still have no clear motive or reason for the shooting Sunday where 58 people were killed at the Route 91 Harvest Festival.

"In the past terror attacks or mass murder incidents, motive was made very clear," McMahill said. "Very clear in most of those cases by a note that was left, by a social media post, by a telephone call that was made, by investigators mining computer data. Today, in our investigation, we don't have any of that uncovered. I wish we did."

Police said they've looked at everything from family to political to social to economic status. They are aware that ISIS has claimed responsibility, which to date they have no known nexus to.

Police are also working to determine who else may have known of these plans.

"There are still a number of people out there that know that something looked out of place," McMahill said.

"Someone may have been acting suspiciously that night or in the years prior, the months prior, somebody that may have seen something or know something."

Police are looking at his personal life with girlfriend Marilou Danley, who told the FBI in interviews this week in Los Angeles that she knew nothing of Paddock's plans.

On Friday, her attorney, Matthew Lombard released a statement saying she continues to cooperate fully with the investigation and does not anticipate making any public statements in the immediate future.

In the press conference, McMahill also acknowledged that the rumors and speculation have not been helpful to the investigation.

Police still have no idea what Paddock was planning to do with the explosive materials found in his car, or the meaning of a piece of paper with numbers written on it that was found in his Mandalay Bay hotel room.

"I can tell you this," McMahill said. "We're very confident that he did not -- there was not another shooter in that room. What I cannot confirm to you today and what we continue to investigate is whether anybody else may have known about this incident before he carried it out."

ABC News is reporting that in the search of Paddock’s hotel room, investigators found a phone charger that doesn't work on his phone. They don’t know if it's meaningful as the charger could have been left by a previous guest or Paddock might have grabbed the wrong one at home.  

ABC News also says searches turned up a pill bottle with a Valium prescription in Paddock’s name.

And investigators who have reviewed financial records say Paddock reported $5 million in earnings in 2015 -- most of it from gambling.

Contact 13 is doing our part to share any tips we get with law enforcement.  

Someone mailed us a packet about a person who may have had past ties to Paddock. We called the FBI and they had agents at our station in less than an hour to pick it up.

The FBI also announced a new information campaign seeking more details into the shooting.

1-800-Call-FBI (225-5324) will be displayed on Clear Channel billboards around Las Vegas. People are asked if they know something to say something.

Clear Channel released a statement regarding the campaign.

“Our thoughts and prayers go out to all families affected by the Vegas tragedy and on behalf of all Clear Channel Outdoor employees, we are honored to stand with you as stewards of our local communities and help law enforcement protect public safety.
 
Clear Channel Outdoor began a formal relationship with the FBI 10 years ago as a result of a conversation with the Outdoor Advertising Association of America (OAAA). Since then, we’ve donated digital outdoor media campaigns to combat human trafficking, issue AMBER Alerts, catch WANTED fugitives and ask the public to call in crime tips, including high-profile crimes such as the Boston Marathon bombing in 2013.
 
Clear Channel’s digital billboards across the U.S. are essentially iPads on sticks and can upload a single image or message across its entire digital platform within seconds. Most importantly, over this 10 year period, passersby who saw our digital billboards have called in tips that led to the apprehension of over 50 wanted fugitives.”

During the press conference, police also recognized Mandalay Bay security guard Jesus Campos, calling him a "true hero." He was dispatched to the door alarm on the 32nd floor and when he opened the door, the suspect shot him in the leg.

Campos notified dispatch and advised responding officers as they arrived.

"This was a remarkable effort by a brave and remarkable man," McMahill said. "We haven't done enough recognizing him and for that I apologize."