OPINION:
At least 50 are dead and another 400 or so wounded after a shooter set up shop in a hotel across the street from a country music concert at the Mandalay Bay resort and casino in Las Vegas, and began firing at men, women and children attending the event.
Radical Islam? Racial tensions? We don’t know.
Police say they’ve killed the shooter, named as Stephen Paddock. The press says police have no idea of the shooter’s motives at this time.
Law enforcement authorities did release the name and photo of a woman they have located and are questioning as a “person of interest.” Marilou Danley, a 4-foot-11 Asian woman, was believed to have been a “companion” of the shooter — perhaps, even, a roommate.
Danley’s Facebook page is filled with photos of her family members and with shots of her many overseas trips. In it, she calls herself a “Proud mom and grandma who lives life to the fullest.”
Other media reports — unconfirmed — say Danley may have worked at the hotel where the shooter fired from, the Mandalay Bay hotel, and possibly could be involved in helping him access his room on the 32nd floor.
And then there was this, also unconfirmed: A concert-goer said she was told by a woman that many were going to die that evening.
As one Yahoo Sports contributor tweeted: “Terrifying. Woman celebrating 21st birthday was in front row. Says another woman came during show & told everyone they were going to die.”
Listen to what this eyewitness — the woman attending the concert to celebrate her 21st birthday — said to a local NBC reporter:
“So there was a lady who pushed her way forward into the concert venue into the front row and she started messing with another lady and told us that we were all going to die tonight. …
“It was about 45 minutes before the shots were actually fired but then she was escorted out by security. …
“It makes me feel uncomfortable, especially coming here for my 21st birthday, not knowing — not even knowing if it’s safe going home tomorrow on an airplane.”
Please read our comment policy before commenting.