Dozens of Weapons Found in the Home and Shooting Site of Las Vegas Shooter

Police say they found over 40 firearms, explosives, and thousands of rounds of ammunition in the home and shooting site of Stephen Paddock, the perpetrator of the deadliest shooting in modern American history. Clark County Sheriff Joe Lombardo told reporters that 23 firearms were found in the room Paddock rented at the Mandalay Bay hotel in Las Vegas, the site of the shooting. Additionally, 19 firearms, explosives, and several thousand rounds of ammunition were discovered at his home in Mesquite, Nevada. The local police chief emphasized that the shooter acted 'alone,' a point previously mentioned by police and security officials. According to current findings by U.S. police, Stephen Paddock opened fire from a room on the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay hotel on Sunday night and into Monday morning, targeting people gathered at an outdoor concert. So far, 59 deaths and over 520 injuries have been confirmed. The current victim count makes the Vegas attack the deadliest shooting incident in modern American history. The President of the United States has called the attack 'an act of pure evil' that has plunged the American people 'into shock and sorrow.' Police have visited Stephen Paddock's residence in recent hours to investigate the site and gather more clues regarding the possible motives behind the Las Vegas massacre. The shooter was an unknown individual with no significant history, living at the age of 64 in a neighborhood primarily inhabited by retirees. His roommate, a woman named Marilou Danley, currently resides in Japan, and no connection has been found between her and the shooting incident. Three special police units, SWAT, along with bomb disposal teams and police officers, participated in searching Paddock's residence. News agencies report that neighbors of the Vegas shooter said he claimed to be a professional gambler and had 'a safe the size of a refrigerator' in his garage. The Associated Press, citing unnamed officials, reports that the shooter used modifications that converted his semi-automatic weapons into automatic firearms. In automatic firearms, the shooter can empty the magazine continuously by holding down the trigger. This modification has raised concerns among officials over the years; however, it is currently not illegal to obtain. Since 1930, strict restrictions have been imposed on the acquisition and purchase of automatic weapons in the United States. In 1986, civilians were banned from owning machine guns; however, this law does not apply to machine guns manufactured or registered before that date. Reuters, citing an unnamed official, states that Paddock likely used automatic weapons or converted automatic weapons that were purchased legally. Despite all these reports, it remains unclear how the shooter acquired so many weapons, explosives, and ammunition within a certain timeframe.