Las Vegas shooter booked rooms at Chicago hotel during music festival

WASHINGTON- Las Vegas shooter Stephen Paddock reserved rooms at a Chicago hotel for dates coinciding with the Windy City’s annual Lollapalooza music festival, Chicago police said Friday.

Paddock in early August made two reservations at the Blackstone hotel. The hotel is located about one block away from the Grant Park concert venue. The Chicago Tribune reported that Paddock had requested rooms overlooking the park.

A spokesperson for the Blackstone told ABC News: “We can confirm that there was no guest under [Paddock’s] name who stayed at our hotel in August during the Lollapalooza music festival. We are cooperating with the authorities on this matter.”

At least 58 were killed and hundreds more injured Sunday evening when Paddock, stationed on the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay hotel, opened fire on a crowd of concertgoers on a lot across the street from the hotel.

Paddock reportedly died of a self-inflicted wound as police attempted to enter his room. It is unclear what the motive was behind the attack. He had no criminal record and no record of mental disability although a former FBI official told NBC News that Paddock’s girlfriend suggested that her boyfriend exhibited signs of strange behavior.

The FBI official familiar with the investigation told NBC News that Paddock’s girlfriend said her boyfriend would “lie in bed, just moaning and screaming, ‘Oh, my God.’”

This article is republished with permission from Talk Media News