West Essex stunned by reality of deadly Las Vegas shooting
November 3, 2017
Weeks after the deadliest mass shooting in modern American history left more than 50 people dead and hundreds injured,
West Essex students are still stunned by the reality of the event.
Stephen Paddock, a retired accountant, opened fire at the Route 91 Harvest music festival on the Las Vegas Strip in Nevada from his hotel room on the night of Oct. 1, 2017.
“It’s heartbreaking,” junior Dane Perrone said. “It is absolutely terrifying to think about how going to an event like a concert can take such a life threatening turn.”
According to an Oct. 12 CNN article, investigators concluded that Paddock meticulously planned every detail of the mass murder. Selecting a hotel room in the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino days before the music festival, over 23 reported weapons were purchased legally and found inside of the room, along with thousands of rounds of ammunition. Authorities also found ammonium nitrate, a deadly ingredient used in explosives, inside the perpetrators home, car and hotel room.
“It’s just really scary how this can happen at anytime,” sophomore Jackie Artale said. “Whether he is from ISIS or not, anyone can attack us.”
Paddock was claimed a soldier by the Islamic State, but there was no proof that he was a part of any one organization.
As reported in an Oct. 2 New York Times article, Paddock kept a very low profile before the shooting. He hid 19 additional firearms, explosives and thousands of rounds of ammunition which were found when investigators searched his home. He retained most of his money from gambling, the source of income he used to purchase all of the weapons, the Times reported.
Eric Paddock, Stephen Paddock’s brother, was completely unaware of his brother’s unstable mentality and referred to him as “just a guy,” according to an Oct. 25 CNN report. He had no recollection of Stephen having any religious or political affiliation, which could possibly provide background on why he committed such a crime.
“There should be more restrictions on who can buy certain guns and certain amounts of guns because then things like this won’t happen,” sophomore James DeMichele said.
Editor’s Note: The print edition of this story incorrectly stated that Paddock’s weapons were obtained illegally. The story now reflects that the weapons were all purchased legally.
