Authorities reportedly found the Las Vegas shooter when smoke from his weapons set off hotel fire alarms

The Las Vegas shooter attacked concertgoers from the 32nd floor of his hotel.

(Image credit: Twitter/@CBSThisMorning)

published 2 October 2017

The location of the Las Vegas shooter was discovered due to his hotel room's fire alarms going off from the smoke emitting from his weapons, a former Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department officer told CBS This Morning. "The way the shooter was identified was not from the muzzle flashes, but the smoke detector in the room went off from the amount of smoke that came from firing that fully automatic weapon," the officer, Randy Sutton, said.

Authorities report at least 50 people were killed and as many as 200 others injured after a gunman identified as Stephen Paddock opened fire on an outdoor music festival from his 32nd story room at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino on Sunday night. "Numerous" firearms were reportedly in the room when the SWAT teams found Paddock. He had reportedly killed himself from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/jacafc5zvs1692883516.jpg

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.

Explore More

Zurich Speed Reads

To continue reading this article...

Create a free account

Continue reading this article and get limited website access each month.

Get unlimited website access, exclusive newsletters plus much more.

Cancel or pause at any time.

Already a subscriber to The Week?

Unlimited website access is included with Digital and Print + Digital subscriptions.
with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.

Not sure which email you used for your subscription? Contact us

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.

Subscribe to The Week

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox