Mass shooting in Las Vegas

2003TIDE said:

Was in hotel during shooting last night. It was a madhouse

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WHOA!!!!

Glad you're all right. Stay safe and get home safely, too.

TIDE-HSV said:

He's clearly unaware of hand-cranked rifles...

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As a former major in the US Army Reserves, I'm sure he has some idea of them.

Those are difficult (months of background checks by the ATF) and expensive (>$20k) to get.

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But extremely easy to convert from select fire to full auto in your tool shed.

Now that he's dead, we may never know the cowards true motive.

IMALOYAL1 said:

But extremely easy to convert from select fire to full auto in your tool shed.

Now that he's dead, we may never know the cowards true motive.

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I have a hard time believing he did all of this alone. Someone else knows.

Jon said:

Wow, stay safe can't imagine going through all of that

There is legal weed in Vegas now, just saying might be time for an Uber out to a dispensary to calm the nerves

either way I'd be on a flight home as soon as you can get your gear

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Got some nice gummies to take the edge off. Conference is canceled for the day. They canceled the Wed night event too. Booked first direct flight back to ATL.

Honestly I never felt threatened while in the hotel. The restaurant manager at the restaurant had everything under control. As soon as they knew what was going on, he had the security gates down and we were in the back of the restaurant. It's when they made us leave the restaurant and go outside due to a bomb threat I started to panic a little because it turned to chaos and nobody knew what was going on or where we were supposed to go. They still hadn't really said it was only 1 shooter at that point.

Gottae be honest, I thought I knew weapons pretty well but had never even heard of hand cranked modern firearms. Completely new to me, so it didn't once enter my thought as a possibility. I thought the actual suspicions of gatling gun were a little nutty and far fetched but clearly not.

Intl.Aperture said:

Gottae be honest, I thought I knew weapons pretty well but had never even heard of hand cranked modern firearms. Completely new to me, so it didn't once enter my thought as a possibility. I thought the actual suspicions of gatling gun were a little nutty and far fetched but clearly not.

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A gatling gun (or minigun) has multiple barrels which rotate and fire in turn. I would be shocked if that was actually what was used. The hand cranked weapons suspected in this atrocity are technically single barreled semiautomatic rifles, but the crank replaces actual trigger pulls.

After listening to the video clips I'm interested in what he had. Most firearm fanatics don't keep it a secret what they have. Most like to show off their weapons and even more, their knowledge of weapons. I think I could easily name the few friends I know that have owned full auto weapons.

Jon said:

you at NetApp Insight? I am worried some friends might have gone out on Sunday

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Just saw this. Yeah I'm at Insight.

cbi1972 said:

A gatling gun (or minigun) has multiple barrels which rotate and fire in turn. I would be shocked if that was actually what was used. The hand cranked weapons suspected in this atrocity are technically single barreled semiautomatic rifles, but the crank replaces actual trigger pulls.

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I am familiar with mini-guns and rail guns but the term "Gatling" evokes the stark imagery of hand-cranked multi-barrel weapon. And not knowing anything of modern hand-cranked modifications to single barrel rifles, I was surprised to hear that theory floated at first. But it seems to be a very logical and real possibility.

I thought the article by French was interesting. Obviously there are a lot of questions that needs answering in this horrific event.

18-20 weapons in his room, some capable of FA fire.

https://www.wsj.com/articles/las-ve...tomatic-rifle-in-massacre-1506966716?mod=e2tw

TIDE-HSV said:

I agree, particularly in view of his brother's comments about the shooter not even being a weapons nut, and he hauls in 10 rifles. IF it does turn out to be a hand-cranked weapon or a trigger sear mod, then something smells to high heaven...

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Local news here already had been interviewing 1 gun shop where this guy bought at least 1 gun. Shop owner said he came in there all the time. So not buying the family line about him not being a gun guy.

One of my high school classmates was in the Luxor, which I'm told is right next to Mandalay Bay. Here is his first-person account he gave me permission to share on Facebook this morning:


Ok, thought I would post and share. I am ok today but a little shook up. I got to Vegas yesterday afternoon and checked into my hotel, the Luxor, which is attached to the Mandalay Bay. I went over to the MB yesterday to get checked in and such but then left to go eat dinner.

I had saw all the signs for the Route 91 Harvest festival and thought I should go and check it out. There were a lot of cute cowgirls here!

After eating, i was not feeling well. I don't think it was food more than just travel and eating later than normal lunch/dinner. But my stomach had a bit of a bug. So I went to Walgreens and picked up some water for my CPAP and went back to hotel and settled in for the night.

At about 10:15, all heck broke loose. I was awakened by an alarm going off in my room. I though it was a fire or something and started getting dressed. Then they came across loud speaker and told us "There is an active shooter at the Mandalay Bay and we were on lock down. DO NOT leave your room."

That is all we got and alarm stayed on for almost an hour. Then it went on and off sporadically through the night and early morning telling us we were still on lock down and eventually that those that wanted to leave could through the doors to the Excalibur (Hotel/Casino on opposite side of Mandalay Bay).

I am not sure if it was lucky or divine intervention or what that kept me away from the event but I am lucky.

It is a bit overwhelming and I had a moment or two this morning thinking about all those innocent lives and such. Not sure what to think as the details are coming in and I am trying to process. I don't know if I feel guilt or what, but in the shower, I just kind of tried to come to grips.

My event has been cancelled for today and supposed to start tomorrow. I am not sure what to do.

TIDE-HSV said:

I agree, particularly in view of his brother's comments about the shooter not even being a weapons nut, and he hauls in 10 rifles. IF it does turn out to be a hand-cranked weapon or a trigger sear mod, then something smells to high heaven...

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French knowing or not knowing about a hand-grank gun aside; I believe this is what he was alluding to. Thus far, the reports point to something more than just a crazy guy looking for revenge. The usual signs of a mass shooter aren't here with this guy.