FBI plays down terror claims on `worst mass shooting in US history`

Two off-duty police officers are confirmed among “at least” 58 people killed and more than 500 injured in the worst mass shooting in US modern history. Police in Las Vegas have reportedly ruled out a terror motive after the suspect – named locally as Stephen Paddock – opened fire from the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay Hotel on an open-air country music festival. As armed officers closed in on the 64-year-old, he killed himself in a room where ten guns were discovered. The lone-wolf attacker sprayed the 22,00-strong crowds who were watching the Route 91 outdoor festival on the Las Vegas Strip, officials said. Sheriff Joe Lombardo said investigators were now “confident” they had located a woman, earlier named as Marilou Danley, who was suspected of travelling with the gunman before the attack. The sheriff said he was unable to give accurate details of dead and wounded, but confirmed two off-duty police officers were among those killed. A local hospital spokesperson said earlier that at least 14 of the injured were in a critical condition. Witnesses said they saw dozens of victims. Reports claiming there were multiple shooters and explosions were dismissed as false. Investigators have found no link to international terrorism, despite a claim from so-called Islamic State (Daesh). FBI Special Agent Aaron Rouse told a news conference: “We have determined at this point no connection to an international terrorist organisation.” Daesh had claimed to be behind the attack, saying that Paddock had converted to Islam some months ago. In an address from the White House, President Donald Trump described the attack as “pure evil”. On Twitter, Prime Minister Theresa May wrote: “The UK’s thoughts are with the victims and the emergency services responding to the appalling attack in Las Vegas.”