Weapons & Guns

Stephen Paddock was alone in his room when he carried out the mass shooting ... according to Las Vegas Metro Police.

Cops just provided an update on the mass shooting investigation and said they're confident "there was not another shooter in that room." Cops, however, are still investigating whether anyone else may have known about the attack before it was carried out.

The cops are not saying definitively there was no other shooter.

As we reported ... the FBI's already interviewed Paddock's girlfriend, and she told them she knew nothing beforehand. LV Metro Police had previously released some body cam footage of the disturbing scene.

Sheryl Crow is taking a bold stance in the country music world -- saying it's time performers and fans reconsider their outlook on guns, especially semi-automatic ones.

We got Sheryl at LAX Thursday and asked her how the country music community will respond to the Las Vegas mass shooting. Her answer was anything but vanilla, and she certainly wasn't trying to placate country music's conservative base.

The Austin City Limits Festival starts tonight, and there are some very nervous performers in the wake of Sunday night's Vegas massacre.

Killer Mike concedes he's got the jitters about his headlining gig, being a husband and a father, but he's going to power through his performance Sunday night. He also says he understands ... some, possibly many would-be festivalgoers are going to stay away, and he can't blame them.

That said, we're told law enforcement will blanket the area around Zilker Park. In addition to patrols on foot, bike, car and ATV, the Counter Assault Strike Team will be out in force.

Stephen Paddock called a Chicago hotel he had booked for Lollapalooza back in August to tell them that he wanted someone to call if, before check-in, he couldn't get a view room -- a room that overlooked the venue.

TMZ broke the story ... Paddock booked 2 rooms at the Blackstone Hotel, one on August 1 and another on August 3. The concert -- which drew a total of around 400,000 people, started on the 3rd.

Paddock booked the rooms through a third party -- Expedia. Our sources say he then called the hotel and asked for a view room. We're told the hotel does not guarantee view rooms, but for some reason in the hotel computer system there's a note that guaranteed Paddock a view room.

We're told the hotel is now trying to figure out why someone on the staff broke policy by guaranteeing him a room with a view.

It appears Paddock didn't know he got what he was after -- a guaranteed view room -- because the notes in the computer say if he couldn't get a room with a view he wanted a heads up before arriving.

This incredibly intense video shows Dan Bilzerian frantically searching inside a police truck Sunday night as terrified concertgoers ducked for cover from the hail of bullets.

Dan -- the gun enthusiast getting roasted on social media for running away from the massacre -- is seen in this video running with a panicked group and hiding behind an unmanned Las Vegas Metro PD truck ... in the shadow of Mandalay Bay.

The video's intense -- some people are covered in blood, while others angrily debate whether to remain hiding there or make a run for it. Dan seemed adamant about taking matters into his own hands ... as he rummaged through the police unit, clearly looking for a firearm.

It's unclear if the vid was recorded before or after Bilzerian begged a cop for a gun.

Stephen Paddock had his sights set on Lollapalooza in Chicago and even booked 2 rooms in a hotel that overlooked the massive outdoor venue ... TMZ has learned.

Check out this pic of a computer screen at the Blackstone Hotel in Chicago, located across the street from the venue, Grant Park, where 400,000 people -- including Malia Obama -- squeezed in over 4 days to watch big musical acts.

Paddock booked one room for August 1, 2017, 2 days before the August 3 kickoff. Paddock then booked a second room for an August 3 arrival. Both rooms had an August 6 checkout ... that's when Lollapalooza ended.

The hotel directly overlooked the main stage as well as several adjoining stages. It also overlooks the main entrance and exit where thousands of people file through. And the hotel had a bird's-eye view of the crowd. We're told Paddock specifically requested both rooms be a "view room" which only face Grant Park, where the concert was being held. And here's the scariest part ... it's difficult if not impossible to flee because of Lake Michigan. Sources tell TMZ Paddock had never booked a room at the hotel before, nor had his girlfriend.

Our sources say Paddock never showed.

Sarah Silverman is railing against the NRA and laying blame at its feet for unnecessarily dividing our country when it comes to gun control.

We got Sarah at LAX Wednesday and asked if she thinks America will finally do something about gun control following the Las Vegas massacre. Her short answer -- NO!

Dan Bilzerian begged cops to hand him a gun as the Las Vegas shooter sprayed bullets at concertgoers ... and it resulted in a heated confrontation.

Dan -- who flaunts his arsenal of weapons -- has been skewered on social media for running from the massacre. That's why this video is so interesting ... Dan actually wants to join forces to take down the murderer, but cops weren't having it.

Listen closely ... Dan asks a heavily armed Vegas cop for one of his guns, and the cop recoils ... he seems insulted that some random guy would dare ask him for a weapon.

Dan pulls out his wallet, appearing to show cops he has the right to pack heat, and screams, "Give me a gun!" The cop fires back, "No, get the f*** away from me right now."

T.I. is standing his ground on gun laws, saying there's still a NEED for Americans to own assault weapons ... even though he can't own them himself.

We got Tip leaving Catch L.A. Wednesday night and asked him if the Las Vegas massacre makes him second guess security at his concerts, or his thoughts on gun control. Perfect guy to ask, really ... considering he did time for illegal possession of machine guns and silencers.

T.I.'s faith in the 2nd Amendment isn't shaken after the Vegas tragedy -- in his eyes, there's at least one damn good reason why law-abiding citizens have to have high-powered weapons, like an AR-15.

Rosie O'Donnell isn't as pissed as Lance Bass about gay men not being able to immediately donate blood after a tragedy -- she says the nation's gun crisis is the bigger issue right now.

We got Rosie Tuesday leaving LAX where she had zero enthusiasm for our photog's effort to follow up on Lance calling out the FDA for its 12-month blood donation ban on sexually active gay men.

The younger brother of Stephen Paddock has a rap sheet of a hardened criminal ... light-years different from the brother who slaughtered dozens of innocent people.

Bruce Paddock currently lives in California, but he's led a nomadic life. TMZ has pulled court docs which show he's been a regular in the criminal justice system. Among his arrests ...

-- Criminal threats

-- Arson

-- Vandalism

-- Petty theft

-- Burglary

-- Weed

-- Driving on a suspended license

-- Contempt

It's unclear how many of these resulted in convictions. We know for sure the 57-year-old was convicted of petty theft with a prior, and vandalism. Don't confuse Bruce with Eric, the Paddock brother living in Florida, who's been speaking to the media.

Billy Baldwin thinks anyone who gets up in arms over the right to bear arms is grossly misguided.

We got the second-youngest Baldwin brother Tuesday at LAX, and he scoffs at the NRA and anyone else who thinks the 2nd Amendment gives people an absolute right to possess any type of weapon they want.

He also has high praise for Jimmy Kimmel, who he has developed a voice more powerful than the President's or members of Congress ... first on the subject of health care, and now gun control.

The mayhem that ensued in the minutes after mass murderer Stephen Paddock began firing at a crowd from his Mandalay Bay hotel room was captured by a cop's body cam ... and it's terrifying.

Las Vegas PD just released footage from one of its officers working with others to try to determine where the gunfire is coming from ... while also trying to direct people to safety.

The video of the chaos while gunshots continue to sound in the distance is disturbing.

The brother of mass murderer Stephen Paddock lost it Tuesday during a bizarre, rambling interview.

Eric Paddock spoke with CBS News and broke down, unable to talk for a time, before his thoughts about his brother meandered.

He says his family is torn apart over the deeds of his brother, and this isn't the Stephen they knew.

Eric says his brother transferred $100k to the Philippines for legit reasons ... to care for his girlfriend. Authorities say she's still a person of interest, but Eric thinks his brother manipulated her to leave the country so she wasn't around when he fired into the Vegas crowd.

Eric also says his brother was rich and generous with his money, sometimes spending thousands of dollars on sushi for friends and relatives.

Wayne Newton doesn't think the shooting massacre in Las Vegas will dim the lights in venues along the strip ... but he says Sin City's performers gotta do what they do and power through the grief.

Wayne -- a Vegas staple in live entertainment -- came on "TMZ Live" Tuesday to dish on whether Vegas would have a hard time coming back to full form after Stephen Paddock gunned down 59 people and injured hundreds more from the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay hotel.

The Midnight Idol doesn't seem too worried about that, 'cause he says Vegas is still one of the safest places around despite the massacre. But he's putting the local showstoppers on notice here too.

An employee inside the shoe store Young Dolph sought refuge in frantically called 911 while the rapper bled out behind a counter.

Dolph was rushed to the hospital with multiple gunshot wounds last week after someone shot at the rapper in broad daylight, hitting him several times -- including once in the buttocks -- on a busy street corner in Hollywood.

The store employee made the emergency call from a back office in the store where he says he and several customers hid after hearing shots.

Dolph's been in the hospital ever since the shooting and underwent surgery.

Dolph broke his silence for the first time since the shooting by tweeting several dolphin emojis Saturday followed by a simple message that read "Its DOLPH!"

🐬🐬🐬🐬🐬🐬🐬🐬🐬🐬🐬🐬🐬🐬🐬Its DOLPH!