Judge Unseals Search Warrants That Reveal More Facts About October 1 Las Vegas Shooting at Route 91 Harvest Festival
In A Win For Shooting Victims FBI Confirms 9 Minute 911 Call Gap – On Friday afternoon, a Federal Judge in Las Vegas granted the request of various media outlets to unseal the search warrants sought by the FBI concerning the Las Vegas “Route 91” shooting on October 1, 2017. The search warrant affidavits reveal that the FBI was investigating the killer, Stephen Paddock, and also his girlfriend, Marilou Danley, and their involvement in the massacre in the killing of 58 people at the large country music festival and concert. Interestingly, the FBI did not oppose the application to unseal the search warrants. Therefore, the judge granted the media requests.
Warrants Confirm Likely 9 Minute Gap Between Shots Fired and First 911 Calls
The release of the search warrant applications and affidavits reveal that Las Vegas Metro Police Department received multiple calls, regarding shots fired, at 10:08 PM, but that the Mandalay Bay Security Guard, Jesus Campos, was shot nine minutes earlier. Existing information pointed to a nine-minute delay between the time that Campos was shot and the time that Las Vegas Metro Police Department received its first calls about the shooting.We also learned that the two rooms on the 32nd floor were registered to the killer, that his girlfriend Danley resided with him at his house located at 1372 Babbling Brook Court in Mesquite Nevada, that FBI agents located Danley traveling outside of the US at the time of the shooting, and that her players card was with Paddock in the hotel suite.
Paddock checked into the hotel suite on September 25, kept a do not disturb sign on his door for three days, he installed several surveillance cameras around the room, two surveillance cameras in the hallway, and one surveillance camera in a peep-hole.
The search warrants also confirmed information previously known- that Paddock had two residences, one in Mesquite and one in Reno, that in each house he had over 20 firearms, hundreds of rounds of ammunition, and other evidence proving the planning of the massacre. New information was discovered that he also had a homemade gas mask and a suit of body armor. Also, explosive material was discovered in his car, and his house, and that Danley admitted to the FBI voluntarily that her fingerprints will probably be on the ammunition since she helped him load the magazines. Also of interest, is that there were multiple bullet holes in the fuel tanks at McCarran airport and that “investigators believe this was an attempt by Stephen Paddock to cause the tanks to explode”. This would be a diversionary tactic. It is also learned that special incendiary bullets were found near the tank and in his hotel room.
We also learned that the initial search warrants of the Las Vegas Metro Police Department discovered that the shooter had preloaded high-capacity magazines, range finding devices, some in suitcases, several suitcases in his residence, as well as the body armor and the homemade gas mask. The investigation it was being “jointly conducted by Las Vegas Metro Police Department and the FBI.”
A search warrant to Amazon revealed that the shooter had purchased a tactical holographic firearm accessory prior to the shooting, which investigators stated they believe was used in the attack.
Digital Information From Paddock's Devices Remains Sealed
Stephen Paddock 3 Phone Devices, 1 With Google Operating System
Three cell phones were found next to the dead shooters body. Two were unlocked which contain no significant evidence in the investigation, however the third one, an android phone, was locked so the investigators could not immediately examine it. Therefore, they applied for a search warrant to Google to access the operating system software on the cell phone. They are investigating whether there is a conspiracy with other individuals, and they stated that “the information will lead investigators to the full scope of Stephen Paddocks plan”. Investigators believed that the girlfriend could possibly still be the only person of interest as a co-conspirator in this attack.
Investigators are most likely still decrypting files from the cell phone records and the electronic communications from the various email accounts and social media identities held by the shooter. The FBI applied under the “electronic communications privacy act” to require Microsoft, Google, Amazon and others to disclose records and information to the government. Paddock had several email accounts and social media accounts.
Stephen Paddock Possibly Under Psychiatric Care
Unknown Health Condition Treatment and Mental Problems
The investigation also revealed that ” Paddock may have been treated for yet un-identified medical conditions.” Danley, who was not arrested, was interviewed with her attorney present twice, told investigators that Paddock was becoming mentally unstable in the months preceding the murders. She agreed to cooperate with investigators, who have not ruled out the possibility that she aided and abetted the shooter.
A separate search warrant to Instagram for Danley’s five profiles revealed that her Facebook account was set to “private” on October 2, 2017 at 12:30 AM, and that her Facebook profile was deleted at 2:46 AM.
Paddock’s email accounts revealed to investigators a July 6 chain that appears to contain emails sent by Paddock to himself. Paddock’s email account, centralpark1@live.com sent a message to his other address, centralpark4804@gmail.com, stating: “try an ar before u buy we have huge selection located in the las vegas area.” Later that day, the first address received a email from the other stating: “we have a wide variety of optics and ammunition to try.” Then, another email sent to centralpark4804@gmail.com from Paddock stated: “for a thrill try out bumpfire ar’s with a 100 round magazine.” The FBI thought it was related to the attach.
The “investigators have been unable to figure out why Stephen Paddock would be exchanging messages related to weapons that were used in the attack between two of his email accounts.” It was possible that another was controlling one of the email accounts.
U.S. District Judge Jennifer Dorsey ruled that the government could keep one affidavit sealed until the hearing in Nevada state court on Tuesday. Napolin Accident Injury Lawyer will be appearing at the hearing on Tuesday. This will determine whether the LVMPD search warrants should be unsealed to the public.
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