Our team of attorneys is currently conducting an investigation into the injuries that were sustained by those in attendance at the Route 91 music festival in Las Vegas after Stephen Paddock opened fire on the crowd. There have been numerous reports about the amount of deaths – 58 – and wounded – 515 – yet there has not been much talk of any other party’s responsibility. There is a very real question in how was Paddock able to conduct such an attack without arousing any suspicion at all?
If you or a loved one has been impacted in some way by the recent shooting at Mandalay Bay, there is a chance that you are eligible to collect damages from the hotel for negligence. Call our team of attorneys today to have a free legal consultation about filing a claim.
Route 91 Music Festival
At the Route 91 music festival, the venue was entirely fenced in and featured one entrance and exit point. There were no emergency exits in case of an emergency; this could have contributed to the reason that many concertgoers were unable to escape the venue in a quick fashion. When you have a fenced in area with only one way in and out, a bottleneck situation arises when everyone tries to leave: only a few people can use the exit at a time, and a large crowd forms behind, pushing and squeezing past each other to try and be the next person to escape.
A fenced in area can essentially trap people and prevent them from leaving. There has been no statement issued as to why the festival did not have any emergency exits on its fencing. The lack thereof, however, may be enough to use as grounds for a claim.
Mandalay Bay
According to police reports, security at Mandalay Bay did not notice anything suspicious about Paddock’s behavior and actions. Though he had been present in the hotel for 3 days, no cleaning staff or maintenance had entered his room, and staff had not tried to contact him. He managed to install cameras and surveillance equipment in his room and the hallway, all of which went unnoticed by hotel workers.
It is impossible to say whether or not the shooting would have taken place if workers had noticed the cameras or had seen Paddock bring up numerous bags. He may have been dead set on the shooting and would not have been deterred, or a questioning would have been enough to give him cold feet. In any case, the fact that these warning signs were missed can point to some liability from the hotel.
Additionally, the windows in the hotel room were not strong enough to withstand blows. Paddock broke two of the windows to have an advantageous shooting position. High rise buildings and hotels should pay careful attention to the strength of their windows because of the unpredictability of patrons. Some may be rowdy and throw furniture around, while others may get in fights and possibly try to break the windows. Anything that falls from the windows of a high rise building can cause severe damage to anything on the ground below. Mandalay Bay, it seems, did not have strong enough windows.
Our law firm is still investigating all possible routes, and we believe there is some liability that can be applied to the hotel and the music festival. If you were injured during the Las Vegas shooting, or if a loved one passed away as a result of the attack, reach out to our office today for a free legal consultation.
