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2360d ago / 7:23 PM UTC

It Took Police 72 Minutes From First 911 Call to Locate Shooter

It took 72 minutes from the first 911 call for law enforcement to breach the shooter’s hotel room, NBC News reports.

Police received the first call reporting shots on the country music festival at 10:08 p.m. local time. They then began searching for the source of the shooting, which was eventually determined to be coming from the Mandalay Bay hotel. Police initially began searching for the shooter on the 29th floor, working their way up to the 32nd floor where authorities say they immediately realized they were in the right place. It’s unclear how they knew, but at 11:20 p.m., police were heard blasting the door off the room where gunman Stephen Paddock was found dead, according to Las Vegas law enforcement. 

2359d ago / 10:36 PM UTC

Hours After the Massacre, Here's What We Know and What We Don't

We're wrapping up our live blog for the day. Thanks for sticking with us.

There’s plenty we still don't know about the massacre in Las Vegas that killed at least 59 and injured more than 500. Authorities have said those numbers could increase; meanwhile, the identifies of the victims are still mostly unknown. For continuing coverage throughout the night, check NBCNews.com and tune into MSNBC. 

Here's What We Know, as of Monday Evening

  • The death toll ticked up to 59, while the number of injured rose to 527.
  • Gunman Stephen Paddock had 19 firearms, several thousand rounds of ammunition and explosives in his home, according to investigators, in addition to 23 weapons found in his Mandalay Bay hotel room on the 32nd floor.
  • Two Nevada gun shops confirmed that they sold firearms to Paddock in the last year and said he passed all required background checks. It's not clear whether those weapons were used in Monday's massacre.
  • Paddock spent "tens of thousands of dollars" gambling in Las Vegas casinos in recent weeks, law enforcement officials told NBC News. It's unclear whether if he was winning or losing money off those large transactions.
  • It took 72 minutes from the first 911 call for police to locate the shooter, NBC News reported.
  • There is no apparent link between Paddock and any international terrorist groups, the FBI said.

Here's Some of What We Don't Know

  • Identities of many of the 59 victims.
  • Paddock's motive. In interviews with NBC News, members of his family have maintained no history of mental illness, nor any religious or political motivation.
  • More about Marilou Danley, said to be Paddock's companion and roommate. She was initially named as a person of interest in the investigation, but after she was located out of the country, police said they believed she was not involved. However, the sheriff said they had more questions for her.
  • How Paddock fired with such power. He seemed to use a machine gun, but machine guns are hard to come by and tightly regulated.
2359d ago / 9:53 PM UTC

Two Nevada Gun Shops Say Paddock Passed Background Checks

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Two Nevada gun shops confirmed Monday that they sold firearms to Mandalay Bay shooter Stephen Paddock in the last year and said he passed all required background checks.

It was unknown if the weapons Paddock bought from the gun shops, New Frontier Armory in North Las Vegas and from Guns and Guitars in Mesquite, were used in the casino massacre.

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2359d ago / 9:43 PM UTC

Free Counseling Line Established for Victims

Magellan Health has launched a 24-hour crisis line for victims of the shooting, offering free, confidential counseling services for affected individuals dealing with grief, guilt, depression, and other feelings related to these events, the behavioral health care firm said in a press release.

Magellan's website also includes free tip sheets for things like talking with children about traumatic events.

The toll-free number is 1-800-327-7451.

2359d ago / 9:35 PM UTC

GoFundMe Campaign Raises More Than $1.1 Million

A GoFundMe campaign launched to raise money for the victims and families of the massacre has raised $1.1 million in just eight hours. 

“Funds will be used to provide relief and financial support to the victims and families of the horrific Las Vegas mass shooting​,” Clark County Commission Chairman Steve Sisolak, who established the fund, wrote on the page.

Sisolak, also a gubernatorial candidate, said he spent Sunday night with the sheriff at a local trauma center. He kicked off fundraising with a $10,000 donation. According to the GoFundMe, the Oakland Raiders also donated $50,000. 

2359d ago / 8:41 PM UTC

Schumer, McConnell Respond to Shooting on Senate Floor

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., added his name to a growing list of Democratic lawmakers calling on Congress to pass stronger gun control laws.

“As much as we might hope to we cannot banish evil from the earth, Congress can't do that, the president can't do that,” he said from the Senate floor. “What Congress can do, what Congress must do, is pass laws to keep our citizens safe.”

“And that starts with guns, especially laws that help prevent guns, especially the most dangerous guns from falling into the wrong hands,” Schumer continued.

His impassioned remarks followed a more subdued statement from his counterpart, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., who also spoke from the chamber floor but did not reference guns. 

“The news we awoke to this morning was heartbreaking. What happened in Las Vegas was shocking, it’s tragic, and for those affected, and their families, it’s devastating,” McConnell said.

“I hope they will see that our country is standing by their side today,” he added. 

2359d ago / 7:52 PM UTC

'Premature' to Talk Gun Control, White House Says

The president believes that now is not the time to talk about gun control in the immediate aftermath of the deadliest mass shooting in modern American history, the White House said Monday.

Asked about renewed pleas from lawmakers for stricter gun control measures, White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said it was "premature" to talk about potential legislation before all the facts about the Las Vegas mass shooting are known.

"There's a time and place for a political debate, but now is the time to unite as a country," Sanders said, 

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2360d ago / 6:19 PM UTC

Nancy Pelosi Urges Paul Ryan to Create Panel on Gun Violence

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., called on House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., to create a select committee to examine gun violence in America in a letter Monday afternoon following the deadly mass shooting in Las Vegas. 

The longtime California lawmaker said gun violence challenges "the conscience of our nation" and Congress should pass gun background check legislation and create a bipartisan committee to provide policy recommendations to reduce gun violence. 

"Congress has a moral duty to address this horrific and heartbreaking epidemic," Pelosi said. "Charged with the solemn duty to protect and defend the American people, we must respond to these tragedies with courage, unity and decisive action." 

Read the full letter here

2360d ago / 6:16 PM UTC

FBI Says No Link to International Terror Groups

There is no apparent link between shooter Stephen Paddock and any international terror groups, the FBI said on Monday.

ISIS claimed credit for the incident — the worst mass shooting in modern American history — but the terror group has in the past taken credit for events in which they had no role.

2360d ago / 6:06 PM UTC

NRA's Political Arm Postpones Ad Buy in Virginia

The NRA’s political action committee, the NRA-PVF, postponed an ad buy in Virginia that had been scheduled to begin Tuesday, a source familiar with the buy told NBC News.

The source requested anonymity because she was not authorized to speak publicly about the group's buys.

The news, however, comes just hours after the Las Vegas shooting.

The source said that the NRA-PVF’s scheduled ad buy did not pertain to the Virginia governor’s race, in which Democratic candidate Ralph Northam has pushed an anti-gun violence message, and that the buy was supposed to run last week and had already been moved around several times.

News of an ad buy postponement by the NRA was first reported by Medium Buying, LLC., a firm that tracks ad buys.

“VA-Gov: NRA-PVF TV ad spending that was scheduled to start tomorrow has been postponed. New start date is 10/10,” the firm tweeted Monday.

An NRA spokesperson told NBC News that the group would not comment on any ad buy postponement. 

2360d ago / 4:52 PM UTC

POTUS and FLOTUS Moment of Silence This Afternoon

President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump will lead a moment of silence at 2:45 p.m. ET to honor those killed in the Vegas massacre. 

2360d ago / 4:19 PM UTC

Death Toll Rises to 58, With More Than 500 Injured

The death toll has risen to 58 and the number of injured is now 515, Las Vegas Sheriff Joe Lombardo said in an update Monday afternoon. 

"As the hours go by, that number continues to increase," Lombardo said.