The more information that comes in regarding Sunday night’s massacre in Las Vegas, the more confusing everything becomes.
Despite ISIS claiming responsibility for the shooting, there’s still no actual evidence as to the shooter’s motive. The shooter, 64-year-old Stephen Paddock, certainly doesn’t fit the mold of your average jihadist. Additionally, a soldier of ISIS wouldn’t have committed suicide with a gunshot to the head like Paddock did, as he wouldn’t have been considered a martyr unless he committed suicide in a way that took out others around him (such as a suicide blast).
As for Paddock’s potential political motivations, there has been an image circulating that alleged to have shown Paddock in a “p***** hat” (from the anti-Trump Women’s March), but it’s a fake. His family members deny that Paddock had any political or religious affiliation.
And when you look at his background, at face value Paddock appears to have lived a life of success. It’s a complete mystery what he would’ve “snapped” over (which is the wording that his brother used), or if it’s even appropriate to say he snapped. People who “snap” don’t carry out such meticulously planned and expensive acts of terror. Paddock was a retired accountant who became a multi-millionaire through real estate investments. He had no apparent reason to be distressed.
Paddock lived with his girlfriend Marilou Danley, a Filipino woman who was overseas during the attack. She could be in the Philippines, and while she’s not a person of interest in the investigation, she really ought to be given the flow of money that Paddock sent to the Philippines before carrying out his massacre.
According to Fox News, “the Las Vegas shooter sent tens of thousands of dollars ‘overseas,’ federal law enforcement officials told Fox News Tuesday. The revelation comes amid questions about the whereabouts of Stephen Paddock’s girlfriend, Marilou Danley, who left the U.S. before Paddock committed the horrific attack that killed 59 and injured at least 515 others.“
The report continues: “Investigators are looking into whether Paddock sent the cash to Danley amid conflicting reports she’s in either the Philippines or Japan, the officials said. They noted the money crossing hands was a significant amount and authorities were trying to uncover who received the cash and where it currently is. It was not immediately clear when the money was transferred.”
As a former accountant, he certainly would’ve been aware that any transactions over $10,000 would be flagged. That’s why he sent them in spurts.
Who could he have been sending money to? If there was any actual evidence of an ISIS link, I’d be tempted to say he was helping fund Abu Sayaff, ISIS’ franchise in the Philippines, but we simply don’t know.
Yet.
What do you think? Why was Paddock sending money to the Philippines? Was there an ISIS connection? Was he sending money to his girlfriend’s family? Tell us your thoughts below!
