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FBI ends investigation into Las Vegas massacre — no motive found

Posted at 3:46 PM, Jan 29, 2019
and last updated 2019-01-29 15:46:10-05

LAS VEGAS — We will likely never know why Stephen Paddock shot into a crowd of concert-goers, killing 58 people in the deadliest mass shooting in modern US history.

The FBI has concluded its investigation into the October 1, 2017 Las Vegas massacre without finding a clear motive for Paddock’s actions.

The Las Vegas Review Panel of the FBI’s Behavioral Analysis Unit determined that Paddock acted alone, and that his attack “was neither directed, inspired, nor enabled by ideologically-motivated persons or groups,” the FBI said.

After almost 12 months of analyzing evidence and information, the panel concluded “there was no single of clear motivating factor” behind the attack, and that Paddock’s actions were inspired by obtaining “a certain degree of infamy via a mass casualty attack,” the FBI said.

Spraying the crowd with bullets from the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino, Paddock also wounded about 500 other people.

Investigators also determined Paddock’s attack was not motivated by a grievance against any particular Las Vegas casino or hotel, nor was it against the Route 91 Harvest music festival or anyone killed or injured in the rampage.

The findings match those of the final criminal investigative report by the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, which also could not determine a motive for the attack.