New police body-worn camera footage gives further insight into Mandalay Bay security surveillance room night of Las Vegas massacre

LAS VEGAS — Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department officer body-worn camera footage that was released this week provides further insight of what was occurring inside the Mandalay Bay Hotel security surveillance/dispatch room after Paddock fired his last rounds.

This new video was not included in our December 14 Baltimore Post-Examiner article, ‘What entry was logged at 9:59 p.m. by Mandalay Bay security night of Las Vegas Massacre?’

LVMPD officers arrived at the security surveillance room at 10:22 p.m. on the night of October 1, 2017.

Once the police entered the room, they lost all radio communication with other police officers who were inside the Mandalay Bay on the upper levels and with police on the outside, including the LVMPD Communications Center.

The police officers were relying on what Mandalay Bay security officers manning the control room were telling them and then using their cellphones and landlines to relay information.

As you will see from the excerpts of the transcribed audio obtained from the police officer’s body-worn camera footage, video #1052, some of the conversations that were taking place raise some new questions.

The thirty-minute video has no time/date stamp, however, the times I noted were obtained from the surveillance video monitors at the console and from other time-stamped body-worn camera footage that I used in previous stories.

Keep in mind that according to the LVMPD final criminal investigative report on the Massacre, Paddock opened fire at 10:05 p.m. and the firing ended at 10:16 p.m.

As I stated earlier, the police officers arrived at the security surveillance/dispatch room at 10:22 p.m. The conversations are in real time as the events are unfolding. They are not all inclusive in this article. We have attached the video to the story for review.

The following conversations start at approximately 10:25 p.m. on October 1, 2017:

P/O is a police officer. S/O is a security officer.

P/O: (On phone). “We don’t have any updates yet, we’re just getting cameras right now, we don’t see anything.”

P/O: “Security is saying they have possible three shooters on the 32^nd floor.”

S/O: “Everybody is ducking and running right now inside Strip Steak Restaurant.”

P/O: “Where at?”

S/O: “Inside Strip Steak Restaurant.”

P/O: “Strip Steak Restaurant, do you have video there?”

P/O: “They say there’s people running around ducking over by Strip Steak Restaurant. They’re trying to get a camera up now.”

P/O: “Are they still firing? Do you know if they are still firing?

P/O: (On phone). “Hey baby let me call you back, I’m at the control tower. I’m good. We’re over at Mandalay Bay, I’m good. We’re still looking, let me call you back.” (Hangs up the phone).

S/O: “We have more people running.”

P/O: “Where are they coming from? Are they running because security or we moving them or because they’re running from something, find out what they’re running from?”

S/O: “The theatre, they have it locked down.”

P/O: (Answers his cellphone). (The time is now 10:29 p.m.). “What up Ty? Yeah. There’s an active shooter possibly, possibly, not confirmed, they have three shooters so far, information is not verified though, supposedly have three shooters up on the 32^nd floor, multiple casualties, possibly one officer shot, we’re still verifying… possibly, we don’t know if it’s security or Metro yet, we’re still trying to locate him. Yeah, we’re with the control tower right now. All right, will do, bye.”

I don’t understand how at this point why they are unsure about the events on the 32^nd   floor. Possible active shooter? Three shooters so far? Multiple casualties? Don’t know whether it was a security officer or a Metro officer that was shot?

The police officer is getting his information from the security personnel in the room.

Did Mandalay Bay security have contact with their own people on the 32^nd floor?

They supposedly knew that Mandalay Bay Security Officer Jesus Campos had already been shot.

P/O: (On phone). “No, we’re still looking. We can see people moving but it’s probably from the evacuation. We’re waiting for updates. Do you have new updates, we’ll try to get cameras there, we’re just scanning it? Are there any additional shots fired? Okay, a Metro officer has been shot once in the neck, all right.”

Two more police officers enter the surveillance room.

P/O: “Burke, you want to take over the phone in case, we have to go. We’ll just kind of organize a response team, put together a response team in case they see something, send some people that way. Trying to get updates… no additional reports of shots fired… they said somebody possibly left in a vehicle. No, I don’t know if anyone got up there yet. I don’t think anyone organized a team to go up there.”

P/O: “Do they have videos of the floors?”

P/O: “No, they don’t.”

The police officer asks the security officer at the console if they have video surveillance coverage on the hotel floors. He tells them no, only in the elevators.

P/O: (Telling the officer who just arrived). “We won’t need them all here.”

P/O: “Security has a request for a security response on the 28^th floor, unknown reason. Yeah, for unknown reason.”

I believe a police officer is on the landline with the LVMPD Communications Center relaying information as he gets it from Mandalay Bay security.

At the 8:33 minute mark into the video (10:34 p.m. from time on video monitor), a male wearing a blue shirt and jacket walks in, goes up to the security officer at the console and asks him, “Do you have any idea whether or not there was firing on the casino floor…”

S/O: “We had a report that…”

Unidentified male: “…we couldn’t find anybody…”

S/O: “Well that’s the report we had…”

Unidentified male: “…that’s not even true…” He then walks out. He may be from the gaming surveillance room. They monitor the gaming floor with cameras that security does not have access to.

Female S/O on security radio: “Hey we have people running from the shark…right now.”

P/O: “Where at?”

10: 59-minute mark, a security officer on the radio sayithat Metro is requesting keycards to get into all the rooms. Another security officer transmits, “Metro has key card on the 32-100 Wing where doing the doors now.”

13:50 minute mark, female voice in the background saying, “shots fired on the 31^st floor.”

14:24 minute mark. S/O Lilliana Rodriquez: “Did they see the shooters?”

19:43 minute mark. Police officer on landline: “Hi, this is 1Ida11, can you connect me with the dispatcher who’s handling the shooters at the, well I was connected with someone that the, we’ll try to maintain communications, but no radio check, yeah. Hello. OK hold on, I’m just trying to make sure I have the right person, I was landline with someone to maintain communication there, okay, all right. Yes, or someone at the CP (command post) I guess, okay.”

21:57 minute mark. S/O Rodriquez: “Hey Brett, you have a part-timer Oceanside?”

S/O Rodriguez: “There’s United Services stealing equipment.”

Brett: “Who’s the part-timer?”

S/O Rodriguez: “562. There taking (unintelligible).”

In the middle of a tragedy a vendor was stealing equipment?

22:52 minute mark. 1Ida11 is still on hold, landline, trying to reach somebody at the LVMPD Communications Center or the command post.

24:52 minute mark. 1Ida11 still on hold. Talks to security officer, “that’s for the room, for what, for room 135 or?” “Someone’s saying that information now.” Says he’s still trying to get ahold of somebody at Metro. He’s still on hold landline.

25:30 minute mark. “Hi, this is 1Ida11, I’m at Mandalay control, I need to be connected to the CP. Yeah. Or whoever is managing communications. Can you contact the CP and find out, let them know Mandalay control room… all right, thank you?”

Still, on the landline, he asks the security officer, “do you know if we’re evacuating the rooms or just the casino floor?, okay I’m trying to call…tell them to stay in the room unless we come and knock on the door.”  

30: 25-minute mark. S/O Rodriquez: “Hey, Morris said they have someone in handcuffs, on the, by the 13^th floor, Metro has somebody in handcuffs. By the 13^th floor.”

The video ends at the 30: 31-minute mark.

1Ida11 was apparently still holding on the landline.

From the LVMPD Communications Center Event Log concerning the Mandalay Bay

I have underlined a few entries that piqued my curiosity.

10:16:22 p.m. — Shooter. 15^th floor Mandalay Bay.

10:16:30 p.m. — This person reporting didn’t see shooter. Person reporting is with a group of approximately 15, per others, one person said the shooter is on top of the Mandalay Bay, landline.

10:16:54 p.m. — This person reporting is security at Mandalay Bay. Shooter in Room 32135.

10:18:31p.m. – Making entry to floor. Attempting too make contact 32^nd floor.

10:18:48 p.m. – Now have active shooter on casino level [Mandalay Bay] Crystal Room. Unknown type.

10:18:54 p.m. – Mandalay Bay security advising landline, aware of situation, are working on shutting down all elevators on property.

10:20:22 p.m. – Crystal Room on casino floor has been cleared, unknown location of shooter.

10:22:23 p.m. – Need SWAT. Mandalay Bay. 2^nd floor Room #135.

10:24:52 p.m. – Shots fired from Mandalay. 29 and 32^nd.

10:25:23 p.m. – Security shot on 32^nd floor by elevator.

10:25:56 p.m. – Mandalay Bay security advising landline of three shooters confirmed on 32nd floor of business.

10:26:32 p.m. — Need to split channel. Dedicated to 32^nd floor. Four man team, another element coming. Will need 29^th floor. Confirmed at least two shooters, fully auto weapons. 716 have someone in camera room watching the floor. [Sorry, no surveillance coverage on guest rooming floors.]

10:27:31 p.m. – Keeping security updated. Landline. Subjects now running around and ducking near Strip Steak Restaurant. Attempting to locate surveillance.

10:28:01 p.m. – Four man element on 29^th floor. Security reporting shots fired.

10:33:59 p.m. – Clearing 29^th floor.

10:34:10 p.m. – Security was requesting to 28^th floor. Unknown if shooter there.

10:34:30 p.m. – 9^th floor Mandalay Bay.

10:34:54 p.m. — 590. Moving up to 30^th floor.

10:37:13 p.m. – Eight-man element clearing casino. SWAT to 32^nd floor.

10:39:39 p.m. – Zebra 20 [SWAT Officer Levi Hancock]. 32^nd floor. 3Mary15 four-man group. 590 30^th. One team on 29^th. Five-man team casino floor. 32^nd floor stairwell. East side Mandalay Bay.

10:39:52 p.m. – 7Mary24. 29^th floor Mandalay clearing.

10:40:49 p.m. – Clearing 32^nd floor west wing.

10:41:19 p.m. – 590. Clearing out 29^th floor.

10:41:24 p.m. – 182SE landline is on 32^nd floor ½ of the floor is evacuated. They’ve made it to Room #112. One has machine gun. Need SWAT on the 32nd floor. Believe there’s one more subject involved there. Need more units with rifles.

10:43:17 p.m. – 590. Floor 31.

10:45:11 p.m. – 32^nd floor. Suspect room locked down.

10:45:32 p.m. – 182SE. Northern most room on 32^nd floor. Unknown where on the 32^nd floor. Northern most on either side of the 32^nd floor Mandalay Bay.

10:45:39 p.m. – 7Mary20. Cleared 29^th floor. Heading up to 30^th.

10:47:12 p.m. – 677V is at 32^nd floor with suspect room locked down. Requesting SWAT to location ASAP.

10:48:06 p.m. – 224IC, have two scenes. Main with Mandalay Bay. 335Zebra (SWAT supervisor). 159SE doing evacuations down hallway about to Room #120 floor 32.

10:51:22 p.m. – 590. 31 is clear moving to floor 32.

10:52:50 p.m. – 7Mary24. Clearing 24^th floor.

10:53:44 p.m. – 1Ida11 landline in Mandalay Bay control room trying to get in contact with command post.

10: 54:15 p.m. – Making entry floor 32. In stairwell on 300 side.

10:54:54 p.m. – SWAT officer on way to stairwell. 720. Twelve man from east side. Two strike teams.

10:56:04 p.m. – 7Mary24. 29^th floor is secured.

10:57:23 p.m. – 790. Per security suspect was inside Mandalay Bay floor then left.

10:57:47 p.m. – Zebra20. Floor 31. Holding at stairs into floor 32.

10:57:52 p.m. – 816. SWAT heading to 32^nd floor.

10:57:57 p.m. – 744SE. Have team on floor 2.

10:58:38 p.m. – Zebra 51 [SWAT]. Requesting thirty keys be made of master key. 7Mary 24. Advised security dispatch.

10:58:53 p.m. – RT36 has been monitoring. Negative suspect seen. Cameras partially obstructed. Luxor security (Steve) last heard gunshots a 10:20 p.m. At least fifty shots from Mandalay Bay area.

11:04:02 p.m. – Zebra 51.   Have to know. 677V. Hallway 32^nd floor with security manager.

11:08:46 p.m. – Zebra20. End of hall near the target.

11:10:43 p.m. – [Redacted] Mandalay Bay [Redacted] in room 30-128 thinks shooter possibly in next room, heard multiple shots earlier. Just heard loud pop sound from room.

11:12:06 p.m. – 341GC. All strike teams at Mandalay Bay. Have all strike teams meet there?

11:16:20 p.m. – 798 to command post. President/Vice President of Mandalay Bay calling in with information. 798 will handle. Chief Hank is the point of contact for Mandalay Bay.

11:18:55 p.m. – Need roll call inside Mandalay and strike teams.

11:20:03 p.m. – 790. Two strike teams. SWAT use Tac1 now open. 7Mary 24. Four man 29^th floor west side. Zebra20 [Hancock] have explosive breach 32^nd floor. Everyone in hallway needs to move back.

11:21:12 p.m. – 765. Everyone evacuate to east. East end of Mandalay Bay goes to airport.

11:22:09 p.m. – Per 333 call every casino on Las Vegas Boulevard and have their security lock down the entire property.

11:23:16 p.m. – Zebra20 [Hancock]need one suspect down in room.

11:25:12 p.m. – 677V. 32^nd floor Mandalay Bay. One suspect down in room #135.

11:25:48 p.m. – Zebra20 another explosive breach inside room will.

11:27:05 p.m. – Zebra20. Rooms secured. One suspect down inside. Multiple firearms. Was the one firing into the crowd?

11:30:35 p.m. – Zebra20. No one else on floor. Room is clear. One Zebra [SWAT] officer did fire. Negative injuries on anyone else. Multiple firearms. Is where they were firing from. One suspect down.

11:45:35 p.m. – Zebra20. Firearm went off on floor when breach done. Going downstairs.

Mandalay Bay has no video surveillance coverage in hotel rooming areas

I noted earlier that when the police asked the security officer at the console if they had video surveillance coverage on the individual floors he responded no, only have camera coverage in the elevators.

That statement is true. The Mandalay Bay Hotel does not have surveillance cameras installed on the guest room floors. Most likely because of the expense.

They do have cameras installed in the guest and service elevators.

However, there are surveillance video cameras installed on the 2^nd floor of the east wing.

Why there and not in the guest areas?

Because the 2^nd floor east wing is where the Mandalay Bay Executive Offices are located.

Nothing like keeping your priorities straight MGM Resorts International when it comes to guest safety and security. It is evident who comes first at the Mandalay Bay.

You can see from the attached screenshot from another police body-worn camera that depicts the 2nd-floor east wing on the security surveillance monitor as the police were clearing that floor.