Las Vegas shooting: At least 59 dead at Mandalay Bay Hotel

A gunman, named as 64-year-old Nevada resident Stephen Paddock, opened fire from the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay Hotel towards an open-air music festival attended by 22,000.

He killed himself as police stormed the room where 10 guns were found.

Investigators have found no link to international terrorism, despite a claim from so-called Islamic State.

In an address from the White House, President Donald Trump described the attack as “pure evil”.

He praised the efforts of the emergency services, saying their “miraculous” speed saved lives, and announced he would be visiting Las Vegas on Wednesday.

With First Lady Melania by his side, he later observed a moment of silence on the White House lawn.

Thousands were enjoying a performance by top-billing singer Jason Aldean when the first of several bursts of automatic gunfire rang out – hundreds of shots, witnesses say. That was late on Sunday night – 22:08 local time (05:08 GMT on Monday).

Hundreds of concert-goers scrambled for cover, flattening themselves against the ground, rushing for the exits or helping others to escape as Paddock sprayed the site from his high vantage point.

“One man had blood all over him and that’s when I knew something was seriously wrong,” Mike Thompson from London, told the BBC.

“People were running and there was chaos.”

Source: BBC