Crime & Court
Las Vegas: What attacker, Paddock’s mother said about him 3 years ago
The mother of Las Vegas music show attacker, Stephen Paddock once described him as a “bad boy.”
Paddock’s mother described his son as a bad boy during a conversation with a neighbour, Jorge Juertes.
Juertes lived next door to Paddock’s mother when she resided in Dallas, Texas, and said he met the man once.
Speaking about Paddock in an interview with the Star-Telegram, Juertes said the man used to visit his mother occasionally but never interacted with the other residents.
Juertes said, “He wasn’t very sociable. She [his mother] said he’s a bad boy.”
Another neighbour to Paddock’s mother, Maria Alameida, said he bought the house in Dallas for his mother in 2004 before his brother Eric moved her to Florida some time later.
According to Star-Telegram, Paddock himself worked in Texas until some time in 2010, and owned a pilot’s licence while there.
He rented a hangar at the local airport and kept a plane there, paying his rent on time. His flying permit shows he wore glasses for short-sightedness.
He also obtained an Alaska hunting and fishing license while living in Texas.
At the time of the massacre, Paddock was living in Mesquite, Nevada, a short distance from Las Vegas.
He had bought a $369,000 home in a retirement community with the proceeds of a real estate business worth around $2million.
In the days before his attack, he was holed up in a suite at the Mandalay Bay hotel, located on The Strip.
He used 10 suitcases to transport 23 weapons to the room, including multiple rifles, two of which were adapted to allow them to essentially fire on full automatic mode.
After setting up the weapons, including two mounted with scopes and on tripods, he smashed the windows of his suite with a hammer, then opened fire on the Route 91 Harvest Festival below.
In total 59 were killed and more than 500 injured, making it the worst mass shooting in American history.
A Magistrate Court sitting in Ado Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital, has granted human rights lawyer and activist, Dele Farotimi, bail to the tune of ₦30 million. The court also mandated Farotimi to provide three sureties with landed properties within its jurisdiction.
As part of the bail conditions, the court ordered Farotimi to refrain from granting media interviews and to submit his international passport to the authorities. The case has been adjourned to February 13, 2025, for further proceedings.
Farotimi, who had been remanded at a correctional center in Ado Ekiti, arrived at the court premises on Friday at approximately 9:45 a.m. He was conveyed in a prison van accompanied by a police escort. Upon arrival, the embattled lawyer raised his hands in appreciation of a cheering crowd that had gathered outside the court to show their solidarity.
The human rights advocate is facing prosecution for allegedly defaming a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Afe Babalola. His arrest has ignited widespread public outcry, with many Nigerians and civil society groups condemning the action and demanding his immediate release.
Farotimi’s detention and subsequent arraignment have fueled debates about the boundaries of free speech and defamation laws in Nigeria, with critics arguing that the case may stifle dissenting voices in the country.
Police operatives have apprehended a 25-year-old man, Enediong Bassey, in possession of a pump-action gun concealed in a bag of rice at Nkwelle-Ezunaka.
The suspect, a native of Ikono Local Government Area in Akwa Ibom State, was arrested on November 22, 2024, at 6:38 pm following credible intelligence.
This was disclosed in a statement issued on Tuesday by the Police Public Relations Officer, Anambra State Command, SP Tochukwu Ikenga.
The statement revealed that officers attached to the 3-3 Divisional Headquarters, led by CSP Emeka Obi, acted swiftly to intercept Bassey.
During interrogation, he admitted to being a member of a local vigilante group but confessed to plans of absconding with the weapon to join a criminal gang involved in armed robbery and other illicit activities.
“Given the above and following other complaints and unprofessional conduct by some security outfits and vigilante members, the Commissioner of Police, CP Nnaghe Obono Itam, in line with the principles of community policing, reiterates the calls for profiling of security operatives assisting the police and other security agencies on anti-crime operations to improve safety in the state,” the statement read.
In light of the situation, the Commissioner of Police has directed the immediate transfer of the suspect to the command’s anti-robbery squad for a thorough investigation.
The Anambra State Police Command reassured residents of its commitment to ensuring the safety and security of lives and property, urging vigilance and collaboration with law enforcement.
Justice Ayokunle Faji of the Federal High Court in Lagos has ordered an accelerated trial of four bloggers accused of defaming and cyberstalking the management of Guaranty Trust Holding Company (GTCO), including its Group CEO, Mr. Segun Agbaje.
The defendants—Precious Eze, Olawale Rotimi, Rowland Olonishuwa, and Seun Odunlami—face a 10-count amended charge for allegedly publishing false and defamatory content about GTCO on various social media platforms.
During proceedings on November 13 and 14, Justice Faji dismissed their bail applications, citing the severity of the charges, which carry potential penalties of up to 14 years in prison.
The judge specifically noted that Precious Eze had previously been charged with a similar offense in another court and was on bail at the time of the alleged actions, demonstrating a likelihood of reoffending.
Justice Faji emphasized the destabilizing impact such actions could have on the banking sector, pointing to the cross-border nature of some of the allegations.
“The regulatory oversight of institutions like the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) should not be undermined by false claims,” the judge remarked, referencing GTCO’s CBN-approved audited statements.
At the previous hearing, defense counsel Afolabi Adeniyi had urged the court to grant bail on liberal terms, arguing that the defendants were ready to stand trial.
However, the prosecution counsel, Chief Aribisala, SAN, opposed the motion, raising concerns about the defendants potentially absconding and stressing the need for a swift trial.
In his ruling, Justice Faji rejected the defense’s plea, ordering an expedited trial to address the case’s significant implications for the financial industry.
The trial has been adjourned to December 10 and 12 for continuation.
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