Well, well, well… the entire previous weeks claims about the timeline and structure of Stephen Paddock and how he carried out the Mandalay Bay Massacre just changed a full 180 degrees today when Sheriff Joseph Lombardo dropped a statement that Paddock did not begin shooting until his advanced preparation was interrupted by Mandalay Bay security officer Jesus “Jose'” Campos.
According to the latest stunning revelation by Sheriff Lombardo, security guard Campos was responding to a door alarm notification, presumably from a fire exit door being opened by suspect Paddock on the 32nd floor.  Upon reaching the floor, Campos noticed the hotel room suite door was ajar, and heard the sound of drilling (he didn’t knock).

Paddock was drilling a hole in a door (“adjacent room”) when Campos walked in at 9:59pm.  That’s when Paddock opened fire on Campos wounding him in the leg.  Immediately thereafter is when Stephen Paddock broke out the windows and opened fire on the crowd below.
This latest revelation is explosive because it shows Paddock was interrupted in the act of preparing for the attack, and not during the commission of the attack itself.
This explains a great deal about the event and why so many advanced preparations appeared not to have been utilized.  Unused ammunition, body armor, weapons etc.


This latest crucial bit of information is also explosive in that it may indicate there were other participants that might have been present, later, if the attack plan had proceeded without being interrupted by the security guard (the need for 23 firearms etc.).
Within these latest developments it is entirely possible that Paddock would have had a great deal more effectiveness in the overall attack if he had finished the preparation prior to carrying out the shooting.
The hurried need to carry out some level of the attack despite the interruption might also explain why Paddock just smashed out the windows to begin firing etc.  He may indeed have had a much more substantive plan, but was forced to drop that approach by the unexpected interruption prior to the shooting.
This new information essentially changes everything.  It is also most likely the reason why the LVMPD have stated they will not hold another presser until Friday.
The bigger problem for Las Vegas Police, FBI, DHS etc. is that this change is far more substantial than just the timeline.  This “new narrative” stinks to high heaven.
Think about this.  Not only are they saying the security guard encountered Paddock prior to the shooting of the crowd, which is fundamentally and factually different from their prior claims, but the essential points of how Campos engaged with arriving law enforcement is now entirely different.
Previously LVMPD stated: a 2nd guard met Campos at the elevator (seconds after reporting he’d been shot). Then, moments later, Campos and LVMPD stayed and cleared rooms taking their time because no shots were being fired at that time.  Now they want to say Campos was shot and what?…  He sat there by the elevator for 10 minutes before LVMPD arrived at the elevator while the shooting was ongoing?
This is not a timeline issue.  No way can this current explanation square with all the previous details, which were stated as facts day-after-day well into their fourth and fifth day press conferences.
Lombardo and the FBI were telling a story that they now admit was demonstrably false.  It’s not just getting the timeline wrong, it’s refuting all of the prior conversations these investigative officials claimed to have had with the responding officers.   That’s not a mistake, that’s a fundamental admission they were telling us false information.
Sheriff Lombardo is not only completely changing the shooting timeline as it relates to the responding security guard, he is entirely contradicting the investigations assertions and statements of investigative fact for the events.
Here’s the presser video with my notes bullet-pointed below:

  • Paddock’s brother is in town and being questioned.
  • No evidence of a 2nd shooter. (yet)
  • Approximately 200 of Paddock’s prior visits to Las Vegas and surrounding area tracked down – No other contacts identified.
  • Still no motive.
  • FBI begins releasing some property.  See FBI.GOV website for more details.
  • Anticipate one more week investigating physical site of attack.
  • Anticipate one more week investigating hotel room.
  • Investigation is very complicated.  “Complicated event reconstruction”
  • No further press conferences until Friday (October 13th)
  • Some evidence of medication in room. No details provided.
  • No note left in room.  Would not discuss night stand note and numbers.
  • Sheriff Lombardo very confrontational with questioning.
  • Security Guard heard drilling in room.  Drilling of “adjacent door” interrupted by security guard and not completed.
  • Security guard did not knock on hotel suite door.  Door was party ajar.
  • Security guard shot (at 9:59pm CST) prior to the mass shooting of the crowd at 10:05pm CST.  Repeat: PRIOR TO THE SHOOTING OF THE CROWD.
  • Guard was responding to alarm of “open door” (likely emergency stairwell)
  • Paddock had body armor and “self defense equipment”.
  • Paddock check in date at hotel Sept 25th (parking), but did not occupy hotel suite until September 28th.  Time between 25th and 28th is deepest investigative period officials cannot explain Paddock activity.
  • Paddock did plan to escape.  No details provided.
  • Multiple cell phones in room.  No details provided. (FBI Interruption)
  • Lots of electronic equipment were in the room.  Forensics ongoing.
  • Paddock disguised his movements in the periods immediately prior to the shooting date of October 1st.  Investigators perplexed by thoroughness of Paddock disguising his activity.
  • Sheriff Lombardo very aggressive, curt and short-tempered with this press conference.
  • No further press conferences scheduled until Friday October 13th.

How can investigative officials so clearly mislead the public on the timeline of the shooting itself as it relates to the security guard?…. and still hope to retain credibility with the public? … this makes no sense.
The disinformation previously provided on the exact shooting timeline itself was not accidental.  That affirmed timeline, and the statements of facts occurring within it, was provided FOUR DAYS after the attack.  More than enough time to have the timing and sequencing accurate.  The motive for misinformation is troubling.
The security guard (Jose Campos) being shot at 9:59pm would explain the quick response of LEO.  It wasn’t their magnanimous Las Vegas LEO ability.  Presumably Jose Campos was the reason they knew where the shooter was and got them there so quick.
Additionally, people are confused on the door(s). Campos was responding to an automatic security notification of a security exit (fire stairwell) door being opened. That’s typical. Almost all fire exits are wired to central alarms and give monitors signals when opened.

That door alarm was obviously (seems obvious) triggered when Paddock (shooter) drilled plates in the door frame to secure the door closed. Obviously this was anticipatory for SWAT arrival via the stairwell. And that’s exactly what SWAT did. SWAT needed a prybar to open the door (CBS interview).
Security Guard Campos arrived on the floor to check the emergency door alarm only to see Paddock’s suite door (that’s the 2nd door) slightly ajar, and hear drilling inside. Campos unexpected entry into the suite is what caused Paddock to fire upon him (notice the bullet holes in the door) and then kicked off the next 15 minutes of action (random firing into the concert crowd).

LEO stated the door drilling was inside the suite and likely for placement of a camera etc. and noted all of the electronic equipment.
Natural question becomes: What was the original target? What was the original plan if it wasn’t interrupted by Campos. What would the event have looked like if carried out according to plan?
Assuming, based on what did take place, Paddock needed approximately 30 more preparatory minutes for the full monty…. what would that have been?
How would successful preparations have changed the ultimate attack?
Nothing in any of those questions would lead a person to believe he planned to leave or escape. Indeed, even if he did “escape”, it would be silly with all those registered guns, and the room in his name, that Paddock would escape without anyone knowing who carried out the attack. Common sense tells you he didn’t plan to exit.
There’s nothing in evidence so far that looks like this wasn’t ultimately a suicide mission. Body armor and defensive equipment would only realistically be for a showdown gun battle with the arriving cops. [The only thing that would change that reality would be if the investigators found a parachute in the room – Highly unlikely].
If no exit plan, then what was all that stuff in the car for?
Was it a matter of bringing everything on September 25th with grand plans, and then reducing the plan according to reality he encountered with the venue? Most plausible explanation would be yes. ie. he modified his plan based on events he encountered and didn’t need all he brought.
He parks the car at Mandalay on Sept. 25th and then goes about gambling etc. His physical location between 9/25 and 9/28 is unknown by investigators (or so they claim). Obviously he wasn’t sleeping in his car… so where did he sleep on 9/25, 9/26 and 9/27?
That puts him checked into the suite on Sept. 28th (per Lombardo) and taking 3+ days to get all the gear into place and begin setting up the attack plan. However, there’s hotel in-room-dining receipts from September 27th.  Again, more false statements?
https://twitter.com/LauraLoomer/status/915517490507198464
https://twitter.com/LauraLoomer/status/915371042121687042
However, with all the meticulous planning itself in those preparatory days, did Paddock just misjudge the end time of the concert, or was there something else he had in mind that would come later? Was a more substantive attack (if plans were not interrupted) supposed to start at the conclusion of the concert?
Lots of questions.
However, knowing that Campos interrupted the plan, while it was in process, changes the dynamic of the attack narrative by a considerable amount.

The official story is getting sketchier by the day:

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