58 killed in Las Vegas concert shooting

ITRealms:

Barely 24 hours after a heavily gunman opened fire on an open-air concert in a Las Vegas hotel, estimated 58 people have been confirmed killed, reports ITRealms.

The killings, ITRealms gathered were majorly from the shooting and stamped arising thereof, while over 500 people were suspectedly injured in the attack which has attracted global condemnation.

ITRealms also gathered that the gunman had opened fire from a 32-floor hotel room adjacent to the open-air concert venue and has been tagged the deadliest mass shooting in US history.

ChannelsTV  and CNN monitored in Lagos, reported that the Islamic State group claimed the 64-year-old Nevada man behind the Sunday night massacre, Stephen Craig Paddock, was one of its “soldiers” but the FBI said it had found no such connection so far.

Police said Paddock, a retired accountant, killed himself before a SWAT team breached his room in the Mandalay Bay hotel overlooking the venue for the country music concert.

President Donald Trump denounced what he called “an act of pure evil” and said he would visit Las Vegas on Wednesday.

Las Vegas Sheriff Joseph Lombardo told reporters at least eight rifles had been recovered from the gunman’s hotel room.

Paddock was believed to be a “lone wolf” assailant who acted alone, Lombardo said, declining to speculate as to what may have motivated the attack.

“I can’t get into the mind of a psychopath at this point,” he said.

Lombardo said Paddock had apparently used a hammer to smash the window of his hotel room before opening fire on the crowd below.

Police said around 22,000 people were attending the concert when bursts of automatic gunfire erupted shortly after 10:00 pm (0500 GMT).

Concert-goers screamed and fled in panic as a steady stream of bullets rained down from the hotel.

58 dead, 515 injured

Lombardo said 58 people had been confirmed dead and 515 injured and he said the toll could rise. The authorities issued an appeal for blood donors.

The Islamic State said one of its “soldiers” who had “converted to Islam several months ago” was behind the shooting but provided no evidence to back up the claim.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation said it has found no such link so far.

“As this event unfolds we have determined to this point no connection with an international terrorist group,” said Aaron Rouse, special agent in charge of the Las Vegas office of the FBI.

Paddock, who photographs showed as greying with a trimmed beard and moustache, was a former accountant and a licensed private pilot with no criminal record, according to ABC News.

Eric Paddock, the gunman’s brother, said he was at a complete loss to understand what may have motivated the shooting.

“This is an asteroid falling out of the sky,” Eric Paddock told CBS News.

He said his brother had “no religious affiliation, no political affiliation.”

“He was my brother. He was a guy. He gambled,” Eric Paddock said.

He said his brother had no history of mental illness and was “not an avid gun guy at all.”

Paddock resided in a new golf course development in the desert just outside Mesquite, Nevada, 80 miles northeast (130 kilometers) of Las Vegas.

Chuks Egbune/GEE

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Pix: Courtesy: MarketWatch.com

Enough-is-Enough @Las Vegas final US Presidential debate

ITRealms:

A coalition of individuals and organizations committed to instituting a culture of good governance and public accountability in Nigeria through active citizenship, otherwise known as Enough-is-Enough (EiE) is in Las Vegas to take part in the final presidential debate in the United States of America, reports ITRealms.

EiE Nigeria, ITRealms gathered was an integral part of the #OccupyNigeria movement in 2012 and it’s currently very active in the #OpenNASS campaign.

The coalition comprised of The Future Project; Paradigm Initiative Nigeria (PIN); Education as a Vaccine (EVA); Kudirat Initiative for Democracy (KIND); and LYNX Nigeria. Partners include BudgIT & ReclaimNaija.

The EiE’s Executive Director, ‘Yemi Adamolekun, said it is deeply gratifying that their work on debates was recognized and a privilege to learn from the final Presidential Debate organized by the Commission on Presidential Debates (CPD) on October 19th in Las Vegas, USA.

“Of course, it’s also very exciting to witness a debate that will be talked about for years to come.” Adamolekun said, stressing that Nigerians have followed the US debates with great interest and it is expected that there will be a louder demand for a Presidential debate during the 2019 elections.

EiE, ITRealms reports was invited alongside some other debate organisers from 27 countries.

In 2015, ITRealms gathered that EiE and Channels were ready to host a Presidential Debate but Mr Buhari declined to participate.

From the first youth-focused Presidential Debate in 2011, EiE has led the conversation about the importance of debates in an election process. Over the last 5 years EiE has funded, hosted or co-hosted debates in Cross River (2012), Anambra (2013), Ekiti (2014), Osun (2014), Rivers (2015), Plateau (2015), Bayelsa (2015) & Edo (2016). EiE also co-hosted debates for youth party leaders in Cross River and for the APC & PDP national youth party leaders in 2015.

Further, ITRealms recalls that in 2011, EiE created the RSVP Campaign – Register | Select | Vote | Protect – as a voter education & get out the vote vehicle encouraging young Nigerians to register to vote; select credible candidates; vote wisely and protect their votes on election day and in the 4 years in between elections. Debates have been the platform that EiE has provided to citizens to select candidates they believe will best serve the needs of the people. Debates force candidates to be challenged on their policies and plans for the electorate beyond the noise and self-promotion of party meetings and rallies.

Nenye Dom/GEE

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