PTI
LAS VEGAS
At least 58 people were killed and 500 injured when a heavily armed ‘lone wolf' gunman opened fire from a 32-floor hotel room on an open-air concert on the Las Vegas Strip in the deadliest mass shooting in US history.
The Islamic State group claimed the 64-year-old Nevada man behind the last night massacre, Stephen Craig Paddock, was one of its "soldiers" but the FBI said it had found no such connection so far.
Police said Paddock, a retired accountant, killed himself before a SWAT team breached his room in the Mandalay Bay hotel overlooking the venue for the country music concert.
President Donald Trump denounced what he called "an act of pure evil" and said he would visit Las Vegas on Wednesday.
Las Vegas Sheriff Joseph Lombardo told reporters at least eight rifles had been recovered from the gunman''s hotel room.
Paddock was believed to be a "lone wolf" assailant who acted alone, Lombardo said, declining to speculate as to what may have motivated the attack.
"I can't get into the mind of a psychopath at this point," he said.
Lombardo said Paddock had apparently used a hammer to smash the window of his hotel room before opening fire on the crowd below.
Police said around 22,000 people were attending the concert when bursts of automatic gunfire erupted shortly after 10 pm (local time Sunday).
Concert-goers screamed and fled in panic as a steady stream of bullets rained down from the hotel.
Lombardo said 58 people had been confirmed dead and 515 injured and he said the toll could rise. The authorities issued an appeal for blood donors.
The Islamic State said one of its "soldiers" who had "converted to Islam several months ago" was behind the shooting but provided no evidence to back up the claim.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation said it has found no such link so far.
Jason Aldean, a country music singer, begins his performance at Route 91 Harvest
More than 22,000 people are in attendance
Shooter positions on 32nd floor of Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino opposite the venue
Begins to fire into the concert venue across the street
People begin running for exits, hiding behind trucks, trample each other
Police locate shooter's hotel room because smoke from his gun makes fire alarm go off
A SWAT team storms the room using explosives
Shooter kills himself; 10 rifles including an automatic weapon found in room
