On Oct. 1 at the Las Vegas Route 91 Harvest Country Music Festival, a lone gunman opened fire on a crowd of about 22,000, killing 58 and injuring at least 527, marking this tragic event as the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history. Police have identified the gunman as 64-year-old Stephen Paddock, who shot at the concertgoers from his Mandalay Bay hotel room. Paddock was later found dead of apparent suicide, along with 23 other hazardous firearms in his room. In his home located in Mesquite, Nevada, detectives also uncovered 19 firearms, as well as thousands of explosives and rounds of ammunition. Law enforcement believes that at least one rifle was modified to operate automatically. In addition, several pounds of ammonium nitrate, a high-nitrogen explosive powder, have been found in Paddock’s car.

Although investigators report that Paddock had no explicit connection to terrorism, ISIS has claimed full responsibility for the attack, prompting investigations headed by insufficient evidence. However, even more puzzling is the examination into Paddock’s past, a blurry history ridden with gambling, money, and marriages. Paddock’s affiliation with gambling was eminent, as he reportedly wrote on a real estate application that the source of his income came from “gambling about $1 million a year”. While his neighbors recall his association with gambling, they additionally claim how Paddock’s storage of guns came as a surprise to them. Eric Paddock, Stephen Paddock’s brother, told reporters how “there’s absolutely no way [he] could conceive [his] brother would shoot a bunch of people that he didn’t know”, and that “something incredibly wrong happened to [his] brother”.

The motive for the mass shooting remains undetermined, especially since it appears Paddock acted alone. Without a suicide note, manifesto, partner, or will, Paddock’s motive will remain a mystery for days to come. Paddock’s girlfriend, Marilou Danley, was sent to the Philippines by Paddock to see her family when the shooting occurred. She has since voluntarily returned to the U.S. to talk with the FBI, stating she had no “warning that something horrible like [the shooting] was going to happen.” Paddock purchased two handguns with Danley in 2010, but the seller recalls Danley’s lack of interest in the weapons. However, Paddock individually bought 33 rifles in September and October of last year without consultations with family or friends. Being the eldest of his siblings, Paddock knew his father the best, a criminal who had made it onto the FBI’s most wanted list and had a fondness for gambling like his son. Although his father, Benjamin Paddock, is deceased, he reportedly longed to open a church in Las Vegas despite his children, including Steven, having no open religious affiliation. The gunman Paddock apparently scoped out other events and locations for his attack, booking a condo overlooking the Life is Beautiful festival one week before the Route 91 shooting and watching the Lollapalooza festivities in August.

The interesting circumstances surrounding the case leave investigators looking at complicated leads, yet the amount of insufficient evidence regarding the motives behind Paddock and the steps he took leading up to the shooting mean there are many possibilities to follow through with. Danley is complying with the FBI’s questioning, and the Philippines government has gotten in touch after evidence of Paddock wiring $100,000 to someone in the country. Paddock’s brother, Eric Paddock, has since been taken into questioning along with the other siblings. Family members and close friends of Paddock’s are being interrogated, but the investigations have not turned up any promising evidence so far.

The tragic shooting has unfortunately brought more than sorrow to the air. The debate on gun control continues to rage on, as do talks of the complications surrounding the freedom of purchasing firearms and the accessibility of illegal accessories, such as the “bump stocks” that Paddock used to successfully transform semi-automatic guns into full-powered automatics. The public continues to rally for better gun control in an effort to prevent further disasters such as the one that occurred at Route 91.

In the aftermath of the worst mass shooting in the U.S., citizens of Las Vegas united to commemorate the souls lost to the crime. The memorials set up around the country to pay tribute to the 58 casualties and over 500 injured concert attendees have not relented. In recognition of the event, President Donald Trump gave a speech to the nation, saying, “We pray for the entire nation to find unity and peace, and we pray for the day when evil is banished and the innocent are safe from hatred and from fear.” The Route 91 festival shooting will be forever remembered by a somber nation.