Las Vegas shooting leaves at least 50 people dead

UPDATE: FBI officials say accused Las Vegas sniper Stephen Craig Paddock had no ties to international terror groups. In an online posting, Islamic State militants claimed Paddock converted to Islam several months ago and acted on its behalf in Sunday’s mass shooting, the deadliest in U.S. history. Clark County Sheriff Joseph Lombardo said the death toll has risen to 58 and the count of those injured to 515. Investigators believe Paddock, 64, acted alone and are no longer looking for a woman initially designated as a person of interest. Lombardo said officers determined the 62-year-old woman, described as Stephen Craig Paddock’s roommate or “companion,” was out of the country Sunday and could not have been involved. Investigators still plan to talk to her when she returns to Nevada.

UPDATE (10:45 a.m.): The brother of the man who opened fire on an outdoor Las Vegas concert, killing 50 people, said he’s “completely dumbfounded” by the attack. Eric Paddock told the Orlando Sentinel he can’t understand what happened but made a statement to police. Stephen Craig Paddock, a 64-year-old Las Vegas resident, shot and killed himself just before police entered his hotel room on the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay Hotel and Casino. Police say Paddock checked into the room on Thursday. They found as many as 10 weapons near his body. Paddock shot at people from his room during the closing act of the three-day Route 91 Harvest Festival. Police have not determined a motive for the attack. Islamic State militants claimed Paddock carried out the attack at their behest, after he converted to Islam several months ago. But the group offered no evidence for that, and Eric Paddock said his brother had no political or religious affiliation.

OUR EARLIER REPORT (7:20 a.m.): A gunman opened fire at an outdoor concert in Las Vegas late Sunday, killing at least 50 people and injuring more than 200 others in the deadliest mass shooting in recent U.S. history. Tens of thousands of people had gathered for the Route 91 Harvest Music Festival on the Las Vegas Strip when gunfire sent them ducking and fleeing for cover. Clark County Sheriff Joseph Lombardo said police officers eventually killed the gunman on the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay Hotel and Casino, across the street from the festival. Lombardo identified the shooter as Stephen Paddock, a Las Vegas resident, and said authorities believe Paddock acted alone. Local officials tracked down Marilou Danley, who Lombardo described as the suspect’s “companion,” and a person of interest in the attack. Kodiak Yazzie, a 36-year-old concertgoer, said country musician Jason Aldean was performing when the gunfire erupted. Yazzie said the music stopped temporarily and started again before another round of gunshots sent the performers fleeing for cover. “It hurts my heart that this would happen to anyone who was just coming out to enjoy what should have been a fun night,” Aldean later said in a statement. Las Vegas police confirmed the dead include two off-duty officers. Las Vegas McCarran International Airport on Monday resumed limited flight activity after temporarily grounding flights following the attack.