Hotel questions massacre timeline

LAS VEGAS — A day after authorities revised the timeline of events on the night of the Las Vegas mass shooting, the hotel where the gunman was staying is casting doubt on the changes.

Police said earlier this week that they believe Stephen Paddock shot a hotel security guard through the door of his highrise hotel suite six minutes before he unleashed a barrage of bullets into a crowd at a musical performance below. The injured guard ran down a hall using his radio and possibly a hallway phone to call for help, reporting he had been shot in the leg.

That account differs dramatically from the one police gave last week: that Paddock ended his hail of fire on the crowd, where 58 people were killed and hundreds injured, in order to shoot through his door and wound the unarmed guard, Jesus Campos.

But late Tuesday, the company that owns the Mandalay Bay hotel casino questioned the new timeline.

“We cannot be certain about the most recent timeline,” said Debra DeShong, a spokeswoman for MGM Resorts International. “We believe what is currently being expressed may not be accurate.”

Las Vegas police did not respond Tuesday night to questions about the hotel’s statement or whether investigators stand behind the revised timeline released earlier in the week.

The revised timeline raises questions about whether better communication could have allowed officers to respond more quickly and take out the gunman before the attack. It remains unclear whether police ever received a call for help from the injured guard.