Las Vegas shooter set off no alarm bells for local gun shop owner


A gun shop owner who recently sold Las Vegas shooter Stephen Paddock a firearm said Monday that nothing about the Mesquite, Nevada, resident set off any alarm bells. "He wanted a firearm, he knew exactly what he was looking for in the shotgun that I sold him," the owner told ABC 13 News. "I went out and found it and I supplied it to him because I didn't see anything — nothing, again, stood out."
Paddock opened fire on people at an outdoor concert near the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas late Sunday, killing at least 58 people and injuring more than 500 in one of the deadliest mass shootings in U.S. history. Paddock was eventually found dead on the 32nd floor of the hotel, apparently of a self-inflicted gunshot wound; SWAT team members breached the room and found at least 19 rifles inside, including two on tripods in the window, The New York Times reports.
"[Paddock] was a normal, everyday guy that walks into my door 50,000 times a day," the gun shop owner said. Jeva Lange
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Jeva Lange was the executive editor at TheWeek.com. She formerly served as The Week's deputy editor and culture critic. She is also a contributor to Screen Slate, and her writing has appeared in The New York Daily News, The Awl, Vice, and Gothamist, among other publications. Jeva lives in New York City. Follow her on Twitter.
-
Australian woman found guilty of mushroom murders
speed read Erin Patterson murdered three of her ex-husband's relatives by serving them toxic death cap mushrooms
-
Combs convicted on 2 of 5 charges, denied bail
Speed Read Sean 'Diddy' Combs was acquitted of the more serious charges of racketeering and sex trafficking
-
Sniper kills 2 Idaho firefighters in ambush
Speed Read A man started a wildfire, then fired a rifle at first responders when they arrived
-
Weinstein convicted of sex crime in retrial
Speed Read The New York jury delivered a mixed and partial verdict at the disgraced Hollywood producer's retrial
-
'King of the Hill' actor shot dead outside home
speed read Jonathan Joss was fatally shot by a neighbor who was 'yelling violent homophobic slurs,' says his husband
-
DOJ, Boulder police outline attacker's confession
speed read Mohamed Sabry Soliman planned the attack for a year and 'wanted them all to die'
-
Assailant burns Jewish pedestrians in Boulder
speed read Eight people from the Jewish group were hospitalized after a man threw Molotov cocktails in a 'targeted act of violence'
-
Driver rams van into crowd at Liverpool FC parade
speed read 27 people were hospitalized following the attack