The Queen and Duke of Edinburgh have led international tributes to the victims of the Las Vegas massacre saying they were ‘saddened’ to hear of the shooting.
In a message of condolence to US president Donald Trump, they described the atrocity as a ‘terrible attack’.
At least 58 people are dead and 515 injured after the 72-minute shooting by a gunman who was in a hotel room 1,200 feet away.
Stephen Paddock, 64, of Mesquite, Nevada, had as many as 10 guns, including rifles, when he opened fire from the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay Hotel and Casino skyscraper.
The Queen’s message said: ‘Prince Philip and I were saddened to learn of the terrible attack in Las Vegas.
‘Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their families and those who have been injured.’
The Queen and Duke of Edinburgh have led international tributes to the victims of the Las Vegas massacre saying they were ‘saddened’ to hear of the shooting
First responders and bystanders carry an injured person to an emergency station located at the intersection of Las Vegas Boulevard and Tropicana Ave – one block north of the shooting
People tend to the wounded outside the festival ground after the shooting. One person can be seen with a shirt draped over their face; it’s not clear if they are dead
Speaking earlier, Theresa May branded the attack ‘appalling’ and added: ‘The UK’s thoughts are with the victims and the emergency services.’
Meanwhile, Pope Francis said: ‘Deeply saddened to learn of the shooting in Las Vegas, Pope Francis sends the assurance of his spiritual closeness to all those affected by this senseless tragedy.’
Russian President Vladimir Putin added: ‘This crime which killed tens of peaceful citizens is shocking in its cruelty.’
German Chancellor Angela Merkel said: ‘I was shocked by the news from Las Vegas. Our sympathy and condolences go to the relatives and families of the victims.’
Police say 64-year-old Stephen Craig Paddock used automatic weapons to rain down gunfire on a crowd of 22,000 people attending the Route 91 Harvest Festival Sunday night, from his room across the street in the Mandalay Bay hotel.
Headliner Jason Aldean was in the middle of his set just after 10pm when a rumble of gunfire rang out, the sounds of screams and stampeding humans cutting through the country music.
The wounded were rushed to waiting ambulances on anything that concert-goers could find, including a wheelbarrow
Hundreds of rounds of automatic gunfire were reported by witnesses on the scene; one woman in the Mandalay Bay said that there was a shooter on the 32nd floor, and that they had killed a security guard
It took police an hour and 12 minutes from the first 911 call to locate Paddock in the building.
They were able to figure out that the shots were coming from the Mandalay Bay, so they worked their way from the bottom up.
Once they reached the 32nd floor, authorities say they knew they were in the right place.
They used explosives to blow the door off his room, but by then it was too late – Paddock had shot himself dead. It’s unclear how long after he first started shooting that Paddock committed suicide.
Bystanders on the Las Vegas Strip come to terms with what they’ve seen after the brutal shooting
Police run to cover at the scene of a shooting near the Mandalay Bay shooting
Inside the room they found an ‘arsenal’ including 10 rifles.
The following morning, pictures of the Mandalay Bay tower showed two windows on the 32nd floor were shattered.
It’s believed that Paddock was staying in a large suite or connected rooms, and used both to fire down on the crowd from both vantage points.
Police say he used a hammer-like device to smash the windows.