Who is Stephen Paddock? Police say he killed 58 in Las Vegas shooting rampage

Skip in Skip x Embed x Share CLOSE Investigators believe Stephen Paddock checked into the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino days before the worst mass shooting in modern U.S. history. Here's what we know about the suspected gunman. USA TODAY

This undated photo provided by Eric Paddock shows his brother Stephen Paddock. (Photo: AP)

MESQUITE, Nev. — The man who carried out the deadliest shooting rampage in modern U.S. history was a 64-year-old retired accountant with a taste for high-stakes poker who had moved to Nevada just a couple of years earlier.

While investigators were still piecing together the attack by Stephen Paddock at a country music concert that left at least 58 dead and 515 wounded, the gunman's younger brother said the gunman had shown no signs of volatility and was "dumbfounded" as he searched for an explanation for why his brother would carry out such a brutal assault.

"There's absolutely no way I can even conceive that my brother would shoot a bunch of people he didn't even know," Eric Paddock told the USA TODAY Network in an interview. "There's no rationale. There's nothing anywhere that said why he did this."

Clark County Sheriff Joseph Lombardo said officers determined the gunshots were coming from a room on the 32nd floor of Mandalay Bay complex on the Las Vegas Strip. Authorities said it appeared Paddock killed himself.

At least 10 rifles were found in the room; it appeared he had hammered out the windows of the room before shooting.

"Right now, we believe it's a sole actor, a lone-wolf-type actor," Lombardo said.

Lombardo added that investigators have yet to determine a possible motive for the rampage. "I can’t get into the mind of a psychopath at this point."

Investigators believe Paddock used the vantage point to fire on the 22,000 country music fans who gathered for the Route 91 Harvest Festival. He opened fire as the artist Jason Aldean performed.

Lombardo said law enforcement authorities had located a “person of interest” who he named as Marilou Danley, believed to be the suspect's companion.

Lombardo said that Danley was located outside the country. Authorities were already gathering information from her about Paddock, and the sheriff said investigators expected to continue to speak with her once she returned to the U.S.

The Islamic State claimed after the attack that Paddock was one of the terror group's "soldiers." But Aaron Rouse, chief of the FBI’s Las Vegas office, told reporters that investigators have found no links with the gunman to international terror groups.

Eric Paddock said he last heard from his brother via text message to inquire about how their mother was doing after Eric Paddock's Florida neighborhood lost electricity for several days following Hurricane Irma last month. He said that his brother was previously married but had no children.

Paddock added that his brother, who had worked as an accountant before retiring, had "no machine guns" when he helped move him from Florida to Nevada a few years ago.

"It’s like an asteroid just fell on top of our family," he said.

Christopher Sullivan, manager of Guns & Guitars in Mesquite, confirmed that Paddock had purchased guns from the shop in the past. Sullivan declined to offer details about the types of weapons or the dates they were purchased.

"We cannot verify any federally protected information," Sullivan said. "Mr. Paddock was a customer and purchased firearms from our store; however, all necessary background checks and procedures were followed, as required by local, state, and federal law. He never gave any indication or reason to believe he was unstable or unfit at any time."

Paddock told the USA TODAY Network that their late father, Benjamin Paddock, was a convicted bank robber and they were raised without him for most of their childhood.

Benjamin, a garbage disposal salesman who was known as "Chromedome," "Big Daddy" and "Old Baldy," committed an armed robbery of a Phoenix bank in 1960 that netted him more than $4,600, the Tuscon Daily Citizen reported in 1971.

He later escaped from a Texas prison and for a time was on the FBI's Most Wanted List. He was captured in 1978 in Oregon, where he was running a bingo parlor.

The most-wanted poster that was first issued by the FBI in 1969 indicated that the father was “psychopathic” and “very dangerous” after escaping from a Texas prison. A federal law enforcement official, however, said that Benjamin Paddock’s past may have no relevance to his son’s actions.

Eric Paddock said, to his knowledge, his brother didn't have a history of mental illness or substance abuse. He said his brother owned guns and played high-stakes video poker.

In recent years, Paddock said they had gone skeet shooting and gambling together, but he had not detected anything was amiss.

But he also described his relationship with his brother as being somewhat distant. He said Stephen barely knew his children and he talked to him only every once in a while. He said he did not know Stephen's girlfriend well.

Eric Paddock did not offer details about his brother's career as an accountant, describing them as "normal, everyday guy jobs."

The gunman worked for the predecessor company of aerospace and defense giant Lockheed Martin from 1985 to 1988, the company said in a statement. The company did not release further details about his employment there.

Police blocked off the road to the suspect’s home in Mesquite, 80 miles northeast of Las Vegas. Records show that Paddock bought the home on Babbling Brook Court in 2015.

The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department obtained a search warrant and officers searched Stephen Paddock's home, said Quinn Averrett, public information officer for the Mesquite Police Department.

When law-enforcement agents completed an initial sweep of Stephen Paddock's home Monday morning, investigators found additional weapons and ammunition, police said.

Investigators continued to search the residence, and FBI agents arrived at Stephen Paddock's property in Reno Monday morning.

Susan Page, a neighbor at the Reno home, described Paddock and his companion as "closet people" who "kept to themselves."

"I never saw them," she said of her neighbors.

The house in Mesquite is in a retirement community, Sun City Mesquite, an upscale development of about 1400 homes. The community includes an 18-hole golf course, indoor and outdoor swimming pools and a recreation center. Residents must be at least 55 years old, and no children are allowed.

He owned a home in a 55 and older community from 2013 to 2015 in Viera, Fla., but he rarely stayed there, according to neighbors. The gunman also previously lived in Mesquite, Texas. He sold his home in the North Texas town in 2010

“He seemed normal, other than that he lived by gambling. He was very open about that," said his former Viera neighbor Sharon Judy. "First time we ever met him, he handed us the key to the house and said, 'Hey, would you keep an eye on the house, we’re only going to be here every now and then.'"

Peter reported from Nevada, Glenn from Orlando, Johnson from Washington and Madhani from Chicago. Contributing: Tess Sheetz, Wayne T. Price, Sarah Litz, Kevin McCoy, John Bacon and A.J. Peretz.

Skip in Skip x Embed x Share CLOSE LAS VEGAS STRIP SHOOTING, AT LEAST 50 DEAD Video shows first moment of Las Vegas shooting | 2:05 A concertgoer captured the moment a gunman opened fire on an outdoor music festival on the Las Vegas Strip, killing scores of people and wounding hundreds of others. Country music star Jason Aldean was performing when the gunfire began. AP 1 of 17 Skip in Skip x Embed x Share CLOSE LAS VEGAS STRIP SHOOTING, AT LEAST 50 DEAD Couple describes witnessing Las Vegas shooting | 1:55 A California couple describe the harrowing minutes they witnessed as a shooter opened fire during a Las Vegas concert, killing over 50 people and wounding at least another 400. (Oct. 2) AP 2 of 17 Skip in Skip x Embed x Share CLOSE LAS VEGAS STRIP SHOOTING, AT LEAST 50 DEAD The people of Las Vegas are lining up by the hundreds to give blood | 0:48 After a gunman opened fire at a music festival, more than 400 people were transported to local hospitals. And starting in the early hours of Monday morning, the people of Las Vegas were lining up in droves to donate blood. USA TODAY 3 of 17 Skip in Skip x Embed x Share CLOSE LAS VEGAS STRIP SHOOTING, AT LEAST 50 DEAD Country musicians respond to the shooting in Las Vegas | 0:55 Country musicians took to social media to respond to the shooting in Las Vegas video by Michael Schwab/Tennessean 4 of 17 Skip in Skip x Embed x Share CLOSE LAS VEGAS STRIP SHOOTING, AT LEAST 50 DEAD Trump: Las Vegas shooting 'act of pure evil' | 2:07 U.S. President Donald Trump spoke to the nation Monday morning about the mass shooting in Las Vegas, which left at least 50 people dead and more than 400 injured. The president said, "it was an act of pure evil." (Oct. 2) AP 5 of 17 Skip in Skip x Embed x Share CLOSE LAS VEGAS STRIP SHOOTING, AT LEAST 50 DEAD At least 50 dead, 400 injured after Las vegas concert shooting | 0:51 Police say the gunman was perched on the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino. Video provided by Newsy Newslook 6 of 17 Skip in Skip x Embed x Share CLOSE LAS VEGAS STRIP SHOOTING, AT LEAST 50 DEAD Who was Las Vegas shooting suspect Stephen Paddock? | 1:39 Investigators believe Stephen Paddock checked into the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino days before the worst mass shooting in modern U.S. history. Here's what we know about the suspected gunman. USA TODAY 7 of 17 Skip in Skip x Embed x Share CLOSE LAS VEGAS STRIP SHOOTING, AT LEAST 50 DEAD Hear Las Vegas SWAT move in on shooting suspect Stephen Paddock | 0:30 Hear the radio chatter of Las Vegas SWAT team members as they prepared to breach the concert shooter's door at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino. USA TODAY 8 of 17 Skip in Skip x Embed x Share CLOSE LAS VEGAS STRIP SHOOTING, AT LEAST 50 DEAD Ex-neighbors say Stephen Paddock stayed up all night gambling | 1:15 Stephen Paddock's former neighbors say the alleged Las Vegas shooter was a night owl who wasn’t around much when he lived in Viera, Fla. USA TODAY 9 of 17 Skip in Skip x Embed x Share CLOSE LAS VEGAS STRIP SHOOTING, AT LEAST 50 DEAD Raw: Concert erupts in chaos during Vegas massacre | 2:52 Social media users have posted video of the dramatic events in Las Vegas on Sunday, where a gunman opened fire on an outdoor music festival, killing at least 50 people - including two off-duty police officers - and wounding more than 100. (Oct. 2) AP 10 of 17 Skip in Skip x Embed x Share CLOSE LAS VEGAS STRIP SHOOTING, AT LEAST 50 DEAD Scores killed in Las Vegas music festival shooting | 0:36 Las Vegas Metropolitan Police say one of their own was among the scores of concertgoers killed when "lone wolf" gunman Stephen Paddock opened fire on crowds at the Route 91 Harvest music festival. USA TODAY 11 of 17 Skip in Skip x Embed x Share CLOSE LAS VEGAS STRIP SHOOTING, AT LEAST 50 DEAD Las Vegas shooting: Gunshots sounded like fireworks | 1:09 Raw video shows the confusion as shots rang out during Jason Aldean's performance at the Route 91 Harvest music festival near Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas. USA TODAY 12 of 17 Skip in Skip x Embed x Share CLOSE LAS VEGAS STRIP SHOOTING, AT LEAST 50 DEAD Jason Aldean runs off Las Vegas stage as shots rain down | 1:12 Video shows Jason Aldean realizing there was a barrage of bullets being fired during his concert in Las Vegas. Katherine Van Buren, who was recording the Facebook Live, said strangers took her into their hotel room after they escaped the shooting. USA TODAY 13 of 17 Skip in Skip x Embed x Share CLOSE LAS VEGAS STRIP SHOOTING, AT LEAST 50 DEAD At least 50 dead, 200 injured after Las vegas concert shooting | 0:51 Police say the gunman was perched on the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino. Video provided by Newsy Newslook 14 of 17 Skip in Skip x Embed x Share CLOSE LAS VEGAS STRIP SHOOTING, AT LEAST 50 DEAD Multiple injuries after a shooting on the Las Vegas Strip | 0:15 Multiple victims were taken to hospitals across Las Vegas after a shooting at the Route 91 Harvest music festival. Time 15 of 17 Skip in Skip x Embed x Share CLOSE LAS VEGAS STRIP SHOOTING, AT LEAST 50 DEAD Las Vegas Police: 1 suspect down, dozens shot | 1:25 Las Vegas police say one suspect is 'down' after shooting at country music festival that has left at least two people dead and dozens wounded. Authorities don't believe there are any more shooters. (Oct. 2) AP 16 of 17 Skip in Skip x Embed x Share CLOSE LAS VEGAS STRIP SHOOTING, AT LEAST 50 DEAD Festivalgoers frantically crouch for cover during Las Vegas shooting | 0:59 Video shows people running and ducking as shots rang out at the Route 91 Harvest music festival in Las Vegas. 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