Las Vegas gunman reportedly had rooms in Chicago for Lollapalooza

CHICAGO - Police in Chicago are investigating media reports that the Las Vegas mass-shooting gunman reserved two rooms at a hotel overlooking the Lollapalooza music festival in early August.

TMZ, a US celebrity-news website, reported Thursday that Stephen Paddock, the Las Vegas gunman, booked two rooms on the park side of the Blackstone Hotel with a clear view of the Lollapalooza, which drew hundreds of thousands of music fans every year at Grant Park in Chicago.

Two months later, Paddock booked rooms on the 32nd floor in the Mandalay Bay hotel and fired at the crowd attending a music festival, killing 58 and injuring more than 500.

Paddock booked one room for Aug 1, two days before the festival kickoff; and then booked a second room for Aug 3. Both rooms had an Aug 6 checkout, the day the Lollapalooza festival ended, TMZ reported.

It hasn't been determined if he showed up on those dates.

Investigators looking into Paddock also came across mention of Fenway Park, Boston police Lt. Detective Mike McCarthy said, though he provided no further details, The Associated Press reported. He also had rooms near the "Life Is Beautiful show" in Las Vegas last month, the AP reported.

The Chicago Police Department said Thursday that it was aware of the reports about the Blackstone Hotel booking during Lollapalooza and is tightening security for upcoming major events, including the Chicago Marathon this Sunday.

"As you saw earlier this week, the city conducts extensive public safety planning and training around major events, in close coordination with our law enforcement partners, to ensure public safety," said a statement from Chicago police.

Emmy Carragher, public relations officer for the Blackstone Hotel, told Xinhua that there was no guest under that name who stayed at the hotel in August during the Lollapalooza music festival.

Xinhua

(China Daily USA 10/06/2017 page2)