Newly released records from the FBI shed light on the One October mass shooting, as well as perceived anger the gunman had toward casinos, though Las Vegas police say they don't believe the information provides any insight on a possible motive.
The FBI's records division released hundreds of pages of documents collected in its investigation into Stephen Paddock, the gunman who opened fire on hundreds of people at a music festival in 2017, as part of a Freedom of Information Act request.
One person interviewed told an agent Paddock was a "high roller" already banned from three casinos in Reno. This person said Paddock did not like the way casinos were treating him, as they stopped providing big gamblers with free perks like flights and suites and started banning them from certain events about three years prior.
The person said the Mandalay Bay in particular, where Paddock carried out the attack, was not treating Paddock well, and the stress over that treatment "could easily be what caused Paddock to 'snap,'" according to the report.
In another interview, a person described Paddock as a prolific video poker player who often visited the Tropicana. The witness said he would play alone and would only want to talk about gambling. Paddock stayed at the Tropicana for three days in September 2017, just days before the shooting, and lost $38,000 during his stay, this person told the FBI.
Several people interviewed said Paddock largely kept to himself, which was typical of high-spending gamblers, and showed no interest in politics. One person told the FBI that while having dinner with Paddock about three years prior to the attack, he claimed to have bought a handgun as a means of protection but was not political or outspoken.
Fifty-eight people died and hundreds of others were injured in the immediate aftermath of the attack. Paddock took his own life in a room inside Mandalay Bay.
Two other people died from the injuries they suffered in the years since the shooting, and Las Vegas Metropolitan Police say they recognize the official death toll as 60. It remains the deadliest mass shooting in modern American history.
LVMPD had previously released its own report on the shooting and said it could not determine a motive.
The department released a statement on Thursday in response to the FBI's document release, saying any speculation about Paddock's motive could cause more harm to victims.
"The FBI documents that were released as part of a Freedom of Information Act request, are from the original investigation, we do not believe they will shed new light in the case," LVMPD said.