The gunman that committed the United States’ deadliest mass shooting in Las Vegas earlier this week also looked into potential shooting locations in Boston and Chicago, NBC News says.
Law enforcement officials confirmed that 64-year-old Stephen Paddock researched attack locations in these major cities earlier this summer. Paddock even booked a room in a Chicago hotel during the city’s Lollapalooza festival, which ran from Aug 3 to Aug. 6. He reserved two rooms in the Blackstone Hotel for its view of Grant Park, where the festival was occurring, but he never turned up to use the space. This year’s Lollapalooza hosted artists such as Lorde, the Killers and Chance the Rapper, and frequent attendee Malia Obama was among the concert’s crowd.
Stephen Paddock researched Boston-area concert venues, including Fenway, before the shooting in Las Vegas. https://t.co/HLIWKEDM6k pic.twitter.com/ziSd49pXHg
— The Boston Globe (@BostonGlobe) October 6, 2017
Paddock also researched Boston’s Fenway Park and the city’s Center for the Arts, but authorities believe that he abandoned any plans to target Boston because most nearby hotels have obstructed views of the baseball stadium. The Boston Globe reports that it’s unknown whether or not Paddock ever came to the city.
“While there is currently no credible threat to Fenway Park according to public safety agencies, the Red Sox have been working with city, state and federal officials on increased security measures for postseason games at Fenway Park,” Red Sox spokeswoman Zineb Curran said in a statement.
Boston Police Commissioner William B. Evans also told The Globe that investigations related to Paddock were still based in Nevada but that security forces were ready for upcoming public events in his city. In reference to Red Sox playoff games and a Bruno Mars concert, Evans said, “We are going to step up, we are going to step up our attention.”
Paddock also rented a condo in a building that overlooked a Las Vegas alternative music festival the weekend before his mass shooting.