“We have no idea. We’re horrified. We’re bewildered and our condolences go out to the victims. We have no idea in the world.” – Eric Paddock, brother of Las Vegas Shooter Steven Paddock in At least 50 dead, more than 400 injured after shooting on Las Vegas Strip [via washingtonpost.com]
Why did no one return fire
Because the shooter was on the 32nd floor of a massive hotel in the dead of night. They apparently figured out where he was when the smoke alarm went off in his room.
The quantity of reasons is breathtaking
Not really. Seems like a failure of imagination. A venue like this would have hundreds of cops for security theater but all would be armed with pistols. If the president was speaking, the secret service would have snipers on every rooftop. Overkill in this instance, but imagine if just a couple cops had carried patrol rifles with scopes slung over their backs. They could have provided suppressive fire.
Is it that hard to detail a couple cops with rifles?
It’s a hotel on the 32nd floor. I don’t know about you, but I don’t think that’s a good shoot considering there are rooms around his, if they even knew which room it was when the fire started. This is one of those no-win scenarios.
Suppressive fire into a hotel? This situation was lose/lose, regardless of whether anyone was armed unless they happened to be walking by his room. I usually do use the “if someone was armed” argument but it really doesn’t work here. This guy had this planned and knew where to shoot from to prevent any meaningful retaliation. He failed to account for fire alarms, otherwise this would have been worse.
LCSW, yeah, it seems like they get worse every time they do things like this. Regardless of his motivation, we can agree that he’s a scumbag.
He was on the 32nd floor of a hotel room shooting down into the concert grounds across the street from the Luxor pyramid. The people at the concert I’m sure were patted down for weapons before entering and most I’m sure never brought any firearms for that very reason.
I doubt any responsible gun carrier would have shot back under those circumstances. At that distance you’re just shooting into random hotel rooms, hoping to hit the guy.
Just from looking at the scenario with limited information-
1-it probably took a loooooooong time to figure out where the shots were coming from. Being in a building away from the event and 32 stories up, combined with the noise in the area, its not like its easy to see where the shots were coming from.
and 2-unless I had a rifle with some sort of magnification on it I probably am not going to start launching rounds at a hotel.
He was on the 32nd floor of a hotel room shooting down into the concert grounds across the street from the Luxor pyramid. The people at the concert I’m sure were patted down for weapons before entering and most I’m sure never brought any firearms for that very reason.
I doubt any responsible gun carrier would have shot back under those circumstances. At that distance you’re just shooting into random hotel rooms, hoping to hit the guy.
Anyone carrying at the festival, which so far as I know would be perfectly legal if you have a valid permit, would be carrying a pistol.
1. It was nearly impossible from the venue site to tell where the fire was coming from.
2. If you did spot the shooter he was MUCH too far away for an effective pistol shot and you would also have been shooting at a hotel with hundreds of other rooms and visitors behind those windows.
3. With people falling all around you from bullets and the sound of gunfire in the air drawing a pistol in the crowd would make you suspect #1. Very bad idea.
Sometimes shit happens and there ain’t a goddam thing you can do about it.
Maybe because none of the potential victims knew where the shooter was, and…if they had known he was on the 32nd floor of the hotel across the street he still would have been damned hard to hit.
Massad ayoob says you should practice long range shooting with your handgun. Those of you who believe in the Sheepdog concept, this might be good advice. There is a public 100yard outdoor range I go to, and practice.
From May 2017:
“The shooter, one Dean Melberg, had killed 4 people and wounded 23 when he was confronted by Andy Brown, an Air Force MP who fired 4 shots at Melberg with his Beretta 92 from 70 yards, 2 of which found the target and fatally wounded Melberg.”
http://dailycaller.com/2017/05/27/ccw-weekend-why-you-should-practice-long-range-handgun-shooting/
The second Amendment is not about hunting or Three Gun.
Every room around the shooter could have possible innocents, and you suggest firing back? … With a pistol no less?
The Israeli soldiers practiced before they raided the airport in entebbe Uganda in the 1970s. Even with all their practicing three innocent people died from Friendly Fire. But 100 hostages were saved and all of the terrorists were killed.
The enemy is relying on your fear of hitting an innocent person when they attack from a position surrounded by friendly people.
I’m saying everyone should practice, so you have muscle memory and confidence in your abilities.
Of course he knows nothing. If he did then he’d be complacent. Sounds like a lawyer talk’n.
*complicit
Public venue, concert-goers were disarmed. 3-500m range, concealed handguns would be useless. I agree with your sentiment tho.
Looking forward to seeing what we learn from his live-in girlfriend when she is finally apprehended.
It may be days or longer before we know true motivations. Also will be interesting to know what medications this guy was on (or off of) in days leading up to attack.
So glad Hillary is not our President right now.
This is a black day for the firearms community. Beyond that I am speechless. We may never know what motivated tis shooter since the usual suspects are excluded. The best case and iit’s not a good one, is that it was an illegally obtained fully automatic weapon not available to the general public, i.e., a post 1986 machine gun.
People who do things like this are no part of the community of sportsmen who use firearms in legal and responsible ways. Just as mad dogs are not like cute puppies, this guy was in a separate category entirely.
Obviously just speculating here but a country music concert?….Sounds like the guy might have been targeting conservatives….
You have to be conservative to like country? WOW! What a theory!
You don’t HAVE TO be, but going from history, it’s a safe bet.
Well guess what kind of music the sewer sludge listened to. Would you believe he liked country?
Yep. sure did. So was he an outlier?
Well hot damn then, guess what kind of music the sewer sludge listened to. Would you believe he liked country?
Yep. sure did. So was he an outlier?
Also site is not posting stuff again.
Third time trying.
Hooray! For the second amendment! Ok…now who’s next! (sarcasm here)
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