This morning, millions awoke to the shocking news that a gunman had taken the lives of 50 civilians and wounded as many as 200 more in Las Vegas.
The terrorist attack, which is now the deadliest mass shooting in U.S. history, took place at a country music concert while singer Jason Aldean was performing.
Police have identified the shooter as 64-year-old Mesquite, Nevada resident Stephen Paddock.
Paddock, shown above with his “companion,” Marilou Dannley, is believed to have begun his attack at approximately 10:00 pm local time.
He was killed by police in his room at the Mandalay Bay hotel shortly after the attack.
Police were reportedly able to locate Paddock quickly due to the smoke from his weapon setting off hotel fire detectors.
Paddock’s motives for the shooting remain unclear.
Early reports indicate that he was not a member of any militant group, and was not known to hold any extremist political or religious beliefs.
Dannley, who lived with Paddock in Mesquite, was apprehended for questioning at 3:40 this morning.
Police have described her as a “person of interest.”
It is not currently known if she’s being treated as an accomplice in the attack.
Several guns, including at least 8 rifles, were found in the room rented by Paddock and Dannley.
“We have no idea what his belief system was,” Sheriff Joseph Lombardo said during a press briefing.
“Right now, we believe he was the sole aggressor, and the scene is static.”
With 50 dead and more than 400 reported injured by local hospitals, the killing spree surpasses the 2016 Pulse nightclub shooting as the deadliest mass shooting in U.S. history.
Several media outlets have reported that this is America’s 273rd mass shooting in 2017, and it took place on the 273rd day of the year, meaning, of course, that the United States now averages one mass shooting per year.
Our thoughts go out to the loved ones of those killed and wounded in this tragic and infurating attack.
We will have further updates on this story as more information becomes available.