The Las Vegas security guard who was shot while investigating gunman Stephen Paddock’s hotel suite on Oct. 1 broke his silence this week by speaking with Ellen DeGeneres.
Mandalay Bay security guard Jesus Campos has been reluctant to speak with reporters regarding the role he played in distracting mass shooter Paddock on the night of his rampage, but he agreed to a pretaped interview with “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” that aired Wednesday.
The hero appeared alongside maintenance worker Stephen Schuck just one week after a handful of aborted interviews.
“I took cover,” Mr. Campos said while recounting gunfire that erupted from behind the door of Paddock’s 32nd floor suite as exited a stairwell. “I felt the burning sensation. I went to go lift my pant leg up, and I saw the blood. That’s when I called it in on my radio that shots have been fired. And I was going to say that I was hit, but I got on my cell just to clear the radio traffic so they could coordinate the rest of the call.”
Journalists investigating Paddock’s massacre, which killed 58 and wounded nearly 500 others, have been eager to hear from Mr. Campos since authorities have not determined a clear motive for the attack.
“I’m doing better each day, slowly but surely. Just healing mentally and physically,” Mr. Campos said, CNN reported.
The guard’s testimony also clarifies initially muddled timelines between statements released by the hotel and law enforcement officials.
Mr. Schuck added that a warning by Mr. Campos as he arrived on the scene was a lifesaver.
“Once I got more than halfway [toward the suite] is when I saw Jesus, and I started to hear shooting,” Mr. Schuck said. “And I thought — at the time I didn’t know it was shooting — I thought it was a jackhammer and, as an engineer, I thought, ’We are not working up here late at night. We wouldn’t be doing that.’ “
“Everyone came together to help that night, even in the darkest hour,” Mr. Campos said.
Paddock took his own life as authorities closed in on his location.
Tomorrow, the first people to encounter the Las Vegas shooter are here – security guard Jesus Campos and building engineer Stephen Schuck. pic.twitter.com/dDmjzN6xBx
— Ellen DeGeneres (@TheEllenShow) October 18, 2017
• Douglas Ernst can be reached at dernst@washingtontimes.com.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.