Police Say Gunman Had No Known Ties To Terrorist Groups or ‘Ideologies’ So Are Investigating His Mental State

Las Vegas gunman Stephen Paddock, who opened fire at the Route 91 Harvest Festival injuring 489 and killing 58, had no known links to terrorist groups, according to Las Vegas Sheriff Joseph Lombardo.

At a press conference on Monday, Lombardo provided an update into the investigation in which Paddock’s motive remains unknown.

“We have uncovered no evidence to show there was a second shooter,” Lombardo told reporters. “We have uncovered over 200 instances of the suspect’s traveling throughout Las Vegas and he has never been seen with anyone else,” he added about Paddock’s actions prior to the Oct. 1 shooting.

“We have no intelligence or evidence the suspect was linked or had affiliation with any known terrorist groups or ideologies,” Lombardo said of Paddock, who authorities believe checked into his hotel room on Sept. 25.

The Sheriff confirmed that Paddock had shot at aviation fuel tanks as part of his larger escape plan. He also had “some personal protection equipment in his room” and his car had explosives.

Investigators are currently working on learning more about Paddock’s frame of mind.

“In coordination with the FBI’s Behavioral Analyst Unit, a comprehensive picture is being drawn as to the suspect’s mental state and currently we do not believe there is one particular event in the suspect’s life for us to key in on,” Lombardo said. “We believe he decided to take the lives he did and he had a very purposeful plan that he carried out.”

Later adding, “Any mental health or medical help he’s had throughout his life, we’re attempting to obtain any and all information associated with that. Additionally, the Behavioral Analyst Unit from the FBI is on the ground, here locally.”

• Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Click here to get breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases in the True Crime Newsletter.

During the end of the outdoor country music festival’s third day, Paddock fired bullets from his 32nd-floor hotel room at the Mandalay Bay on the crowd of more than 22,000 concertgoers.

“As I said from day one, we want to figure out the why to this and we’d like to know the motive. That is our most important goal to prevent any further action associated with other individuals contemplating this or what exactly in the suspect’s mind would enable him to pull off such a complicated event,” Lombardo said during Monday’s press conference.

“This individual purposefully hid his actions leading up to this event and it is difficult for us to find the answers to those actions,” he concluded.

WATCH: Coroner Confirms Names of All 58 People Slain in the Las Vegas Mass Shooting

In addition, Lombardo confirmed Paddock’s brother, Eric, is currently in Las Vegas and is cooperating with police. Marilou Danley, the suspect’s live-in girlfriend, continues to cooperate with authorities as well.

“We are still speaking with Ms. Danley about the suspect’s movements, gun purchases and anything else we need to know about him and how he had planned his assault, and who he came into contact with during the planning phase,” Lombardo said.

“Every piece of information we get is one more piece of the puzzle.”

How to Help

Friends and family are asked to report missing people believed to be connected to the shooting using the hotline 1-800-536-9488.

Anyone with photo or video evidence of the shooting is asked to call 1-800-CALL-FBI. A victims’ fund has been started on GoFundMe by Steve Sisolak, the Clark County, Nevada, commission chair. Other groups providing relief include the local chapter of the American Red Cross and the National Compassion Fund.