Las Vegas Shooter Stephen Paddock Booked Hotel Overlooking Lollapalooza
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Las Vegas massacre gunman Stephen Paddock booked two rooms at a hotel overlooking Lollapalooza two months before the massacre outside the Mandalay Bay Resort.
CBS News Correspondent Dean Reynolds reports Chicago police confirmed Paddock made the reservations at The Blackstone Hotel, 636 S. Michigan Av., on the weekend of the four-day music festival, which typically brings about 100,000 people per day to Grant Park.
A spokeswoman for the hotel confirmed a reservation was made under the name Stephen Paddock, but said they could not confirm it was the Las Vegas gunman. However, police confirmed to CBS News there was "no question" it was the Las Vegas shooter who booked the rooms.
The hotel said Paddock never showed up. A law enforcement official told the Associated Press there is no evidence Paddock ever came to Chicago during Lollapalooza.
A police source told CBS 2 that the Blackstone reservation tip was sent anonymously to investigators. The FBI referred all inquiries to the Las Vegas Police Department, which is leading the investigation of the Las Vegas massacre.
The Blackstone, a 21-story hotel, has windows overlooking Grant Park, including the stages where bands performed at Lollapalooza. An estimated 400,000 people -- including former first daughters Malia and Sasha Obama, as well as Mayor Rahm Emanuel -- attended the four-day music festival in August.
In August, the hotel showcased views of its rooms overlooking Grant Park. The Lollapalooza main stage location is at the upper right of the photo:
Here is a panorama view of Grant Park from the hotel.
According to TMZ, Paddock specifically requested rooms overlooking Grant Park, but never showed. A hotel spokeswoman told CBS 2 that Paddock never stayed at the hotel in August during the festival. The Blackstone is cooperting with authorites, she said.
Two months later, Paddock rented a room on the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay Resort, and opened fire on a country music festival on the Las Vegas Strip, killing 58 people and wounding hundreds more. He killed himself as police were preparing to enter his room.
Chicago Police Department spokesman Anthony Guglielmi would not confirm the TMZ report about Paddock's plans in Chicago, but said the department is aware of the report.
"We are aware of the media reports and have been in communication with our federal partners. 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," he said.
A Blackstone spokeswoman declined to comment.
Paddock also looked at rooms overlooking another concert a week before his rampage in Las Vegas. That festival featured Chicago's Chance The Rapper, who also performed at Lollapalooza on Aug. 5.
CBS Boston is reporting Paddock researched concerts there.
