Las Vegas Tragedy
On the night of October 2nd, 2017 at the Route 91 music festival in Las Vegas, Stephen Paddock opened fire on the crowd below his 32nd-floor hotel room with unknown motives, ending 58 lives and impacting hundreds.
The shooting in Las Vegas took the lives of 58 people and injured around 500 more. Paddock had unknown motives behind his killings, but was found to have booked two different hotel rooms close to other music festivals months before the shooting. Before the shooting, Paddock had no criminal record. The only other preparations that they had found was that he acquired a collection of firearms a year before the shooting. Stephen Paddock had 23 guns in his hotel room with him, some of which were equipped with bum stocks that allowed rapid fire. There were also thousands rounds of ammunition found in his hotel room that never were fired. Authorities searched Paddock’s car and found 1,600 more rounds of ammunition, chemical tannerite, and explosives. They also found a note in the killer’s suite, although it was not a suicide note. The rumors surrounding the horrific massacre started soon after, with many being debunked quickly, while others are still being questioned and investigated. The most popular rumor happens to be the question of if there was a second shooter or accomplice that helped Paddock accomplish his diabolical design. This question was addressed by police in on Las Vegas Now in which they specifically stated that there is absolutely no evidence whatsoever that points towards a second shooter or accomplice.
Another question that is definitely worth looking into is what were Paddock’s motives? Paddock lead an uneventful and quiet life until the shooting. He was a retired accountant when he shot up the music festival, and ended his life. There are no clues left behind by Paddock that could suggest why he was targeting the music festivals, but there was evidence that he had been planning the attack for more than a year. One thing is for sure for certain, the attack was no last minute decision.
The ghastly massacre at the Music Festival in Las Vegas will haunt the survivors and their families for years to come. Amidst the sadness and hardships, humanity can learn from this event. Human psychology is complex. There are reasons for every action no matter how big or small. Every action has a reaction, and every decision can cause an impact on the world around us.