Cops fearing explosive BOOBY TRAPS use robots to break into Las Vegas shooter’s home as neighbours reveal shock
The whole community surrounding the two-bedroom property in Mesquite, Nevada was cordoned off until late afternoon on Monday as SWAT teams descended on mass killer Stephen Paddock's home. Fearing explosive traps, cops used robots to break into the building.
COPS used robots to enter the home of Las Vegas shooter Stephen Paddock fearing there may explosive devices hidden inside, Sun Online can reveal.
The whole community surrounding the two-bedroom property in Mesquite, Nevada was cordoned off until late afternoon on Monday as SWAT teams descended on the mass killer's home.
Speaking at the scene, Quinn Averett, from Mesquite Police Department, told Sun Online robots were used to access the garage door of the retirement property in case any explosive devices were found.
He added that the location was now secure - and the garage door was boarded up with plywood.
"What happened was the Las Vegas Metro Police Department sent the North Las Vegas SWAT team up here to serve a search warrant which they executed on the house," he said.
"Our detectives and SWAT team assisted them and they've been here all day processing evidence - any evidence will be released through Las Vegas Metro Police department.
"This location is now secure. They made entry through the garage door using a robot in case of explosive devices were present.
"There were no explosive devices found.
"He was not known to police here we had no contact with him - he lived here around a year."
Neighbours in the sleepy retirement community about 80 miles from Las Vegas spoke of their shock that one of their neighbours could have committed such an atrocity.
Most said they never saw Paddock - as he kept himself to himself.
Neighbour Kirk Hulbot, 65, said: "Oh my gosh it's a huge shock.
"The neighbours say you wouldn't even know he lived here except for you saw the trash cans coming in and out.
"He kept himself to himself.
"This is a quiet retirement golf community lots of people only live here half time.
"It's absolutely shocking I saw it on the news last night and then this morning I said 'Oh my God he's from Mesquite'.
"Then I drove out and saw all the police and media wouldn't let me back into the community the whole area was cordoned off from about 6:30am. It's just so close to home."
The manager of the mass killer's local gun shop confirmed Paddock was a customer and bought guns from him - but said he gave no indication he was "unstable or unfit".
Christopher Sullivan, general manager of Guns & Guitars - a gun store about two miles from Paddock's Mesquite, Nevada home - said: "We mourn for this tragedy and our thoughts and prayers are with the families of the lost and injured.
"Mr. Paddock was a customer and purchased firearms from our store; however, all necessary background checks and procedures were followed, as required by local, state and federal law.
"He never gave any indication or reason to believe he was unstable or unfit at any time. We are currently cooperating with the ongoing investigation by local and federal law enforcement in any way we can."
A neighbour of Paddock's, Connie Allred, told Sun Online the mass killer was a professional gambler who was very elusive.
She said he travelled a lot and owned two homes - one in Mesquite, Nevada and one in Reno, Nevada - around 500 miles away.
He lived with female companion Marilou Danley, who she described as "friendly and outgoing".
Connie, who lives a few doors from the killer's Reno home, "I knew Marilou the girl he was living with. We used to do Zumba class together. She was very nice, outgoing, friendly, sociable.
"But it's strange because we never saw him. I don't know if he'd just stay in the house all the time or was out all the time but we knew he lived there, just never ever saw him.
"The only thing Marilou told me about him was that he was a professional gambler.
"They did a lot of travelling to do all the gambling - they were always travelling.
"They owned a place here and in Mesquite, Nevada.
"They weren't married, he was never a husband or a boyfriend - she said he was just someone she was living with - that's all any of us knew.
"I never saw him with any guns or anything like that and I've no idea if he was political or anything like that.
"They seemed like normal people. We are all completely shocked."
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