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A woman cries while hiding inside the Sands Corporation plane hangar after a lone gunman fired upon the Route 91 Harvest country festival. Powers Imagery

Las Vegas mass shooting: What we know so far

Last night’s attack is the deadliest mass shooting in US history.

Updated at 11.20pm 

IT HAS BEEN DESCRIBED as the biggest mass shooting in the history of the United States of America.

59 people have died and 527 have been injured after a lone gunman staying at the Mandalay Bay Hotel in Las Vegas smashed open his 32nd storey hotel window and began spraying concert-goers below with automatic weapons.

The shooter, who has since been identified as 64-year-old Stephen Craig Paddock, then took his own life before police could apprehend him.

Here’s how the events unfolded:

  • Paddock checked in to the Mandalay Bay Hotel on the Las Vegas strip on Thursday. He is given a room on the 32nd floor. Police believe he brought at least 10 rifles with him.
  • Police said that he had been gambling at the hotel for some time and nobody had raised concerns with hotel staff about his behaviour. Hotel staff had been inside his room and had not noticed anything suspicious.
  • On Sunday night, thousands of people began arriving at the Route 91 Harvest Music Festival which was taking place below his hotel room.
  • Paddock destroyed his hotel window and began firing indiscriminately into the crowd.

Las Vegas Shooting Police officers advise people to take cover near the scene of a shooting. John Locher / PA John Locher / PA / PA

Las Vegas Shooting Broken windows are shown on the east facade of Mandalay Bay hotel-casino where it is suspected Paddock shot from. Ronda Churchill / PA Ronda Churchill / PA / PA

  • Country music star Jason Aldean, who was headlining the festival, was onstage when the first shots rang out.
  • At 10.08pm (6.08am Irish time), police received the first call about an active shooter at the Mandalay Bay Hotel.

Jason Aldean was performing when the worst mass shooting in US history occurred Singer Jason Aldean was performing on stage when the first shots rang out. SIPA USA / PA Images SIPA USA / PA Images / PA Images

  • Flights into the nearby McCarran International Airport are then diverted as pilots are told about the shooting.
  • Vegas police move towards the shooter and sections of the strip are closed off.
  • By 12am (8am Irish time) police say that the suspect has been discovered dead.
  • Shortly after, Las Vegas police confirm that the shooter is dead and he is identified as 64-year-old Stephen Paddock.

Las Vegas Shooting A wounded person is walked in on a wheelbarrow as Las Vegas police respond to the shooting. AP / PA Images AP / PA Images / PA Images

  • Donald Trump tweets his “warmest condolences” in the wake of the attack. Las Vegas police confirm that at least 50 people are dead – making it the deadliest mass shooting in recorded US history.
  • Isis releases a statement through its official propaganda service claiming responsibility for the attack. However, police say that they have yet to discover a motive for the attack.
  • Eric Paddock, a brother of the attacker, says his sibling had no religious or political affiliation. He said he was at a loss to explain what had happened.

Las Vegas Shooting Eric Paddock, brother of Las Vegas gunman Stephen Craig Paddock. John Raoux / PA John Raoux / PA / PA

  • The FBI releases a statement saying that Stephen Paddock had no links to any international terrorist organisation.
  • Paddock is revealed to have legally held at least 10 automatic rifles. He worked as an accountant and had recently retired. His brother described him as a “regular guy”.
  • Vegas officials appeal to the public to donate blood.

  • Donald Trump makes an address and describes the attack as one of “pure evil”.
  • Las Vegas police say that 59 people have been confirmed dead and the number of injured, many of them critically so, stands at 527.

Read: 58 killed and over 500 hospitalised in Las Vegas gun attack >

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    Mute Rochelle Hart
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    Jun 12th 2024, 12:28 PM

    The Social Democrats didn’t support water charges, JobBridge and cuts to health, education and social welfare like Labour did in government.

    Seems a very clear difference to me.

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    Mute Hayagriva
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    Jun 12th 2024, 12:43 PM

    @Rochelle Hart: I have zero doubt that at the first whiff of power the Soc Dems would change their tune.
    Holly Cairns was a good vocal voice for Palestine for months but was quick with the hand wringing when it came time for Leo to meet Joe.

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    Mute Rochelle Hart
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    Jun 12th 2024, 1:38 PM

    @Hayagriva: They had an opportunity to prop up this current FF/FG government in 2020 and refused.

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    Mute Kevin Kerr
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    Jun 12th 2024, 2:07 PM

    @Rochelle Hart: the Soc Dems didn’t exist then. Indeed, some in their party were in the Labour Party at the time you refer to

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    Mute Seanfhear míshásta
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    Jun 12th 2024, 2:18 PM

    @Hayagriva: so you would deny them power on the basis of your speculation? Interesting.

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    Mute Hayagriva
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    Jun 12th 2024, 2:29 PM

    @Seanfhear míshásta: of course not, just saying I won’t be surprised when they inevitably change their tone

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    Mute Anton
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    Jun 12th 2024, 6:13 PM

    @SYaxJ2Ts: The Soc Dems were formed in 2015 and doubled their TDs to six in the 2020 election, so I think your sense of history is a little off…

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    Mute Sean OhAnnrachain
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    Jun 12th 2024, 12:30 PM

    Labour is a toxic brand, and if there’s any merging going on, they should merge into the SD’s, rather than the other way around

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    Mute Seanfhear míshásta
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    Jun 12th 2024, 12:42 PM

    @Sean OhAnnrachain: great point and it’s even more toxic given the behaviour of its equivalent in england

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    Mute Thesaltyurchin
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    Jun 12th 2024, 2:12 PM

    @Sean OhAnnrachain: makes the most sense, Labour being the only party to be held accountable for their actions in the history of the state. (maybe PDS?, more a slow demise perhaps).

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    Mute Seanfhear míshásta
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    Jun 12th 2024, 12:44 PM

    He is correct and right. Labour should be subsumed into the Social Democrats.

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    Mute Sean Finnegan
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    Jun 12th 2024, 7:19 PM

    @Seanfhear míshásta: A merge would suggest the Social Democrat and Labour Party. Seems familiar branding.

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    Mute John Mcmahon
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    Jun 12th 2024, 1:38 PM

    The SDs don’t have the history of Labour .
    The haven’t sold out unlike the Labour Party in Ireland.
    The SDs shouldn’t merge or join with Labour lest they’re be tarnished aswell

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    Mute Sickof thisshit
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    Jun 12th 2024, 2:37 PM

    All 3 would have Ireland looking like the third world within 5 years.

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    Mute Benny Mchale
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    Jun 12th 2024, 5:26 PM

    There’s a massive difference. Labour is posh socialism. A legacy of college gatherings and tea parties. Soc Dems represent working class people and a better fairer society. What Labour used to be.

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    Mute Richie Whelan
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    Jun 12th 2024, 4:44 PM

    Commies

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    Mute Patrick Treacy
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    Jun 13th 2024, 5:41 PM

    The cheeky of Aon Riordan wanting the progressive democrats to join up with Labour. We all know what happened when the Democratic left took over Labour. The only part of Labour left was their name. The worst health minister we ever had wiped the floor with Rosin Shortall during that government, Rosin was one of the best Labour T.Ds that they ever had.Not one of the Labour party sided with her, that’s how the Progressive Democrats were born . Labour is just a name now and they deserve all the loss they have got.

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    Mute Patrick Treacy
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    Jun 13th 2024, 8:11 PM

    @Patrick Treacy: Apologies. Progressive Democrats should be Social Democrats. The years are beginning to show.

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