58 dead, 515 hurt after gunman fires on crowd in Las Vegas from Mandalay Bay Hotel and Casino

KEY POINTS:

• At least 58 dead as gunman opens fire at world-famous hotel
• More than 500 injured after concert-goers fired upon from high-rise
• Gunman was 64yo Vegas man Stephen Paddock

Almost 60 people are now confirmed killed and 515 injured after a gunman opened fire from the 32nd floor of one of Las Vegas' most famous hotels, in the worst shooting massacre in American history.

The death toll was now at 58, Las Vegas sheriff Joseph Lombardo announced today.

Vegas mayor Carolyn Goodman described the gunman, 64-year-old Stephen Paddock, as a "crazed lunatic full of hate". Paddock acted alone and his motives are not yet known.

The gunman targeted hundreds of people at an outdoor country music festival on the Las Vegas Strip, raining down rapid fire from the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay Hotel and Casino for several minutes.

Some reports claim Paddock shot and killed himself as police entered the hotel room where he was holed up, but others say he was shot dead by police.

The death toll makes the attack the deadliest mass shooting in US history, eclipsing last year's massacre of 49 people at an Orlando nightclub.

People assist a wounded woman at the Tropicana on the Las Vegas Strip. Photo / AP

Police also have located 62-year-old Marilou Danley, who was wanted as a person of interest in this incident. Lombardo gave no details of whether she was suspected of involvement in Sunday night's (Monday NZT) attack but described her as an "associate".

Lombardo said rumours of other shootings or explosives such as car bombs in the area were false.

- NZ Herald