Las Vegas Shooting: Inside The Preliminary Investigative Report

LAS VEGAS, NV - Stephen Paddock acted alone, without a known motive or any known affiliations to terrorism, when he opened fire from a 32nd floor suite of the Mandalay Bay, killing 58 people at the Route 91 Harvest Festival concert on the Las Vegas Strip on Oct. 1. That's what Clark County Sheriff Joe Lombardo claims in a preliminary investigative report into the worst mass shooting in United States history, released on Friday.

Those findings are based on thousands of hours of video surveillance, DNA examination of the hotel room, and a review of Paddock's digital footprint. The report details those findings but surveillance footage examined as part of the investigation has not been made public.

Lombardo said LVMPD was breaking normal protocol by releasing the report of an investigation that's not yet complete, but did so because of the unique nature of the event. He said he conferred with the District Attorney, FBI, and other members of the prosecution community who all agreed that releasing the report was necessary.

"The reason why I did it and why I directed investigators to do it is because of the public interest," Lombardo said.

The 81-page report includes photos taken from the Mandalay Bay as well as details about Paddock's planning of the attack, his digital search history, and his movement leading up to Oct. 1. Lombardo said the final report will come out towards the end of 2018 and will be "close" to what the preliminary investigative report revealed, but will contain "a lot more information," including more crime scene photos and names of individuals and witnesses interviewed as part of the investigation.

The report identifies several "indicators of intent," after investigating Paddock's behavior in the months prior to the event, such as reserving rooms overlooking Lollapalooza music festival in Chicago in August and the Life Is Beautiful concert in Downtown Las Vegas in September and purchasing 55 firearms from October 2016 to September 2017.

Paddock fired from rooms 32-134 and 32-135 of the Mandalay Bay. In determining he acted alone, the investigation also clears Marilou Danley of any criminal activity. Lombardo announced that she will not face any charges, but said that charges could be coming for an unidentified individual within the next 60 days.

The following details of Paddock's search history, accounts from people who knew him, and a timeline of events in the week leading up to the event, are some of what is contained in the preliminary investigative report.

What was on Stephen Paddock's computer?

The report points to Paddock's internet search history as one of the indicators that he extensively planned the attack. The investigation revealed search results found on several computers belonging to Paddock. Investigators reviewed the contents of a laptop found in Room 32-134 by looking at information gathered from Dropbox.com, Box.com, and Microsoft One Drive. The search results show that Paddock's interest in other concerts and public venues across the country, from Boston, MA to Santa Monica, CA. He searched for the following items on Google Maps, according to the report:

• Royal Rooters' Room, Boston, MA
• Blandford St. Station
• Boston University Questrom School of Business
• Boston Hotel Buckminster
• Boston Arts Academy
• Official Red Sox team store
• Official Red Sox team store, 19 Yawkey Way, Boston, MA
• Venice Ale House
• Fairmont Miramar Hotel, Santa Monica, CA
• The Bungalow, 101 Wilshire Boulevard, Santa Monica, CA

Paddock's search history suggests Paddock was comparing concert venue sizes and may have decided which one to attack based on how many people would be in attendance. Paddock made the following Google searches on the following dates:

• May 18, 2017: "summer concerts 2017," "grant park functions," "biggest bear," "La Jolla Beach," "open air concert venues," "biggest open air concert venues in the USA," "how crowded does Santa Monica beach get"
• September 4, 2017: ""Las Vegas rentals," "Las Vegas condo rentals," "Las Vegas high rise condos rent," "Las Vegas Ogden for rent"
• September 5, 2017: ""life is beautiful expected attendance," "life is beautiful single day tickets" "life is beautiful Vegas lineup"
• September 5, 2017 (from Bing.com): "Mandalay Bay Las Vegas," "Route 91 harvest festival 2017 attendance," "Route 91 harvest festival 2017"
• September 15, 2017: "swat weapons," "ballistic chart 308," "SWAT Las Vegas," "ballistic," "Do police use explosives"
• The following searches were found on a laptop recovered in room 32-135 that show Paddock inquired about several public venues across Las Vegas: "how tall is Mandalay Bay," "Nevada gun shows," "Life is Beautiful 2017," "Excalibur Hotel & Casino," "Las Vegas Academy of the Arts Performing Arts Center," "Fremont Hotel & Casino," "El Cortez Hotel & Casino," "Family Courts & Services Center," "Gary Reese Freedom Park," "Cashman Center," "Cashman Field," "Neon Museum," "Discovery Children's Museum," "Arizona Charlie's Decatur," "where is the hard drive located on e35570," "NHRA schedule 2017"

The report also says that "several hundred images" of child pornography were also found on his computers.

What did people say about Stephen Paddock?

The report states that 43 people directly associated with Paddock have been interviewed so far as part of the investigation. That includes 24 gambling associates, 11 acquaintances, and eight blood relatives. The following people provided investigators with testimony about Stephen Paddock.

• Marilou Danley, Stephen Paddock's girlfriend: Danley was interviewed "several times," the report says. Among the details she shared with investigators was that Paddock had grown distant in their relationship and the two were no longer intimate. She said he was "germaphobic" and had strong reactions to certain smells. She told investigators that during a September stay at the Mandalay Bay, Paddock specifically requested a room overlooking the concert venue and diligently observed the area during their stay.
• Peggy Reiko Paddock, Stephen Paddock's ex-wife: Paddock's ex-wife described him as "intelligent," and as being good with numbers. She explained his work history and told investigators she knew him to buy and sell real estate, sometimes with his mother, as recently as 2010.
• Stephen Paddock's physician: Paddock's physician described him as "odd," and showing "little emotion." He said Paddock was possibly bipolar but was unable to diagnose because Paddock refused to discuss the possibility any further. Paddock took medication for anxiety but refused anti-depressants and was "fearful of medication," the physician said.

Marilou Danley

The report states that Danley arrived in the Philippines on Sept. 14 and returned to the United States on Oct. 3. Upon returning, investigators conducted several interviews with Danley, in which she admitted to helping Paddock load magazines for his rifles. She told investigators it is likely her fingerprints would appear on some of the bullets used in the attack, according to recently unsealed search warrants.

Ultimately, the investigation cleared Danley of any criminal involvement.

Paddock's Movement Leading up to Oct. 1

The report shows that Stephen Paddock traveled extensively between his Mesquite, NV home and several Las Vegas hotels in the week leading up to the attack.

On Sept. 17, Paddock checked into The Ogden, a luxury condo unit in Downtown Las Vegas, and had three rooms overlooking the Life Is Beautiful concert that was scheduled to begin five days later on Sept. 22 and end on Sept. 24. During his stay at The Ogden, Paddock left several times for extended periods, driving to Mesquite, flying to Reno, and going to Arizona, the report claims.

On Sept. 25, Paddock checked into room 32-135 of the Mandalay Bay under his own name. On Sept. 28, Paddock checked into the adjoining room, room 32-134, under Marilou Danley's name. The two rooms could be opened up into one another through a door inside the rooms. From 4:03 p.m. to 4:56 p.m. on Sept. 25 Paddock was seen a Mizuya Sushi inside the Mandalay Bay. After, he drove his vehicle from self park to valet and returned to the hotel desk with five suitcases. He removed his car from valet at 9:40 p.m. and drove to Mesquite, where he arrived at 11 p.m., according to the report.

On Sept. 26, Paddock was in Mesquite from 10:12 a.m. until 2:55 p.m., according to cell phone records, and this is when he is believed to have first wired $50,000 from his Wells Fargo account to Danley in the Philippines. A $50,000 wire transfer from his account was completed at 3:35 p.m. and Paddock later drove to The Ogden. Upon arriving in Downtown Las Vegas, he gambled at the El Cortez hotel until 10:16 p.m. He then went back to The Ogden at 10:23 p.m. and left 11 minutes later to go to the Mandalay Bay. He brought his car to valet parking and took seven suitcases (six of which were on a rolling cart) to room 32-135. The report states that Paddock began gambling at the Mandalay Bay at "approximately 2218 hours," or 10:18 p.m., which would appear to conflict with the timeline of that day. Metro police have not yet responded to a request to clarify the discrepancy.

On Sept. 27, Paddock stopped gambling just after 7 a.m. after gambling throughout the night and morning. Later that afternoon, around 4:32 p.m., according to the report, Paddock remained in his room while his room was cleaned by hotel staff. He was seen at valet shortly after 8 p.m. with two suitcases. He left to go to The Ogden and then drove to Mesquite. According to the report, Paddock purchased luggage, razors, fake flowers, a vase, and a styrofoam ball at the Wal-Mart in Mesquite.

On Sept. 28, Paddock purchased a bolt action .308 at Guns & Guitars in Mesquite. According to the bank records, Paddock deposited $14,000 into his account and transferred $50,000 to the Philippines. He later went to a gun range in Mesquite before driving back to the Mandalay Bay and unloading two suitcases and a laptop bag.

On Sept. 29, Paddock had a second refrigerator delivered to room 32-135 and stayed in his room while it was cleaned. He requested hotel staff not vacuum the room. At 3:06 p.m., Paddock checked into room 32-134 under Danley's name from the VIP desk at the Mandalay Bay.

On Sept. 30, Paddock drove to Mesquite at 1 a.m. and returned to Las Vegas at 5:56 a.m. with four suitcases, according to the report. Hotel staff filled a mini bar in room 32-134 shortly after 12 p.m. and Paddock declined a cleaning of his room between 1 p.m. and 2 p.m. He removed his vehicle from valet and took it to self parking around 3 p.m. He left the parking garage and entered the elevator with two suitcases that he brought to his room. He then drove to Mesquite at 7:52 p.m. and arrived at 8:57 p.m., the report says.

October 1

Paddock left Mesquite for the final time at 2:06 a.m. and arrived at the Mandalay Bay at 3:05 a.m. He used both his, and Danley's, players cards to gamble at the Mandalay Bay from 3:24 a.m. until 7:34 a.m. According to the report, Paddock moved his car from self parking to valet between 12:22 p.m. and 12:26 p.m. under Danley's name. He waited for three bags before ordering room service at 12:33 p.m. Paddock spent the hours from 2:23 p.m. until 7:40 p.m. "manipulating" doors in rooms 32-134 and 32-135.

At around 8:40 p.m., security officer Jesus Campos was responding to five door alarm calls, the last of which was for room 32-129.

At 9:36 p.m., Paddock locked room 32-135. Country singer Jason Aldean took the stage at the Route 91 Harvest Festival across the street from the Mandalay Bay at 9:40 p.m. At 9:46 p.m. Paddock locked room 32-134.

At 9:47 p.m., Campos walked from the 30th floor to the 32nd floor using the stairwell. He encountered the door was locked from the other side. Paddock had fastened an "L" bracket to the other side of the door from the 100-wing hallway. Campos walked up a flight of stairs to the 33rd floor before taking the elevator back down to the 32nd floor. He called in the door being locked at 10:04 p.m., the report says.

At 10:05 p.m., Paddock began firing into the concert. Campos heard noises he described as "drilling" before being struck in the left leg with a "bullet fragment" at 10:06 p.m. Paddock continued firing into the crowd until 10:16 p.m., with several burst of rapid gunfire identified during the investigation. At 10:07 p.m., a burst of 95 rounds, followed by 100, followed by 94 more are reported in the investigation. Paddock fired eight rounds at two jet fuel tankers located just off the Las Vegas Strip and continued firing into the crowd.

Detective Stephen Balonek was on the ground and attempting to locate the source of the gunfire. Using binoculars, he looked at the Mandalay Bay and saw the "silhouette of a man standing in a shooting position several feet back from a window," the report states.

At 10:18 p.m., heat detection indicator inside room 32-135 was no longer detecting readings. At 10:41 p.m., a Strike Team cleared the 31st floor of the Mandalay Bay. The Strike Team walked up the stairwell to the 32nd floor at 10:56 p.m.

At 11:20 p.m., the Strike Team entered room 32-135 after breaching the door with an explosive. After the breach, a SWAT officer negligently discharged three rounds from his rifle. Officers found Paddock dead inside from a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head.

When asked at a press conference on Friday, Jan. 19 if the investigation determined why Paddock decided to take his own life, Lombardo said he thought it was because Paddock "felt the wolves closing in."

The report states that Paddock was found on his back with his head facing south, feet facing north, and arms at his side. A pool of blood had formed around his head and on his shirt. A Smith & Wesson revolver was found with blood on it "south of Paddock's head."

Hotel Room findings

Officers found approximately 1,050 spent casings of .223 ammunition in room 32-135 and eight spent casings of .308 ammunition in room 32-134. They also found 14 loaded magazines - carrying 25, 40, or 100 rounds. Approximately 5,280 bullets were found in the hotel rooms, according to the report.

A prescription for Diazepam (Valium) was found inside room 32-135. Officers also recovered a Dell laptop, his passport, four Home Depot gift cards, a checkbook, a cash voucher from the Palms Casino dated Aug. 28, 2017, three suitcases, and snorkeling gear.

Images via LVMPD