The Las Vegas shooter had been holed up in his hotel room for 4 days


Stephen Paddock, the 64-year-old man who murdered at least 50 people and injured 400 more in a mass shooting in Las Vegas on Sunday night, was holed up in his hotel room for four days before launching the attack, Las Vegas authorities said. Clark County Sheriff Joseph Lombardo said during a press conference Monday that Paddock, who opened fire on more than 22,000 concertgoers on the Las Vegas Strip from the 32nd story of the Mandalay Bay Hotel and Casino, had been inside the hotel since Sept. 28.
Lombardo said he wasn't sure whether Paddock had barred hotel maintenance crews from entering the room, or how else he remained undetected for several days, given that he had an "excess of 10 rifles" hoarded there. A SWAT team breached Paddock's hotel room and found him dead, apparently of a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
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.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Kimberly Alters is the news editor at TheWeek.com. She is a graduate of the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University.
-
The Week contest: Soundproof web
Puzzles and Quizzes
By The Week US Published
-
6 dream homes with chef’s kitchens
Feature Featuring a house with two kitchen islands in Utah and a kitchen with a stove nook in New York
By The Week US Published
-
DVT: what to know about the blood clot plaguing NBA players
The Explainer Multiple players have been diagnosed with deep vein thrombosis over the past few months
By Theara Coleman, The Week US Published
-
Judge ends Eric Adams case, Trump leverage
Speed Read Federal corruption charges against New York City Mayor Eric Adams were dismissed, as requested by Trump's Justice Department
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Texas arrests midwife on felony abortion charges
Speed Read Maria Margarita Rojas and an employee at one of her clinics are the first to be criminally charged under Texas' near-total abortion ban
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
South Carolina to execute prisoner by firing squad
speed read Death row inmate Brad Sigmon prefers the squad over the electric chair or lethal injection, his lawyer said
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Mexico extradites 29 cartel figures amid US tariff threat
Speed Read The extradited suspects include Rafael Caro Quintero, long sought after killing a US narcotics agent
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Leonard Peltier released from prison
Speed Read The Native American activist convicted of killing two FBI agents had his life sentence commuted by former President Joe Biden
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Ex-Sen. Bob Menendez sentenced to 11 years
Speed Read The former New Jersey senator was convicted on federal bribery and corruption charges last year
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Police ID driver of exploded Cybertruck, can't see motive
Speed Read An Army Green Beret detonated a homemade bomb in a Tesla Cybertruck in front of the Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Teenage girl kills 2 in Wisconsin school shooting
Speed Read 15-year-old Natalie Rupnow fatally shot a teacher and student at Abundant Life Christian School
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published