Opinion

Hookstead’s Friday Mailbag: What Was The Motive For The Las Vegas Shooting?

REUTERS/Las Vegas Sun/Steve Marcus

David Hookstead Sports And Entertainment Editor
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It’s Friday afternoon at The Daily Caller, and that means it’s time for my mailbag.

We obviously all know what happened Sunday in Las Vegas. We’re going to get into all of that, but as usual, I’m also going to do my best to keep this fun. Let’s jump in.

It’s currently Tuesday afternoon after the Vegas shooting massacre and as of now we have yet to figure out a motive of the shooter. I’m willing to bet he was radicalized and here’s why. He attacked thousands of civilians using paramilitary tactics. He had recon and dry runs, through legal means compiled enough weaponry and ammo fit for a small militia, and he took a vantage point where he could kill as many as possible while minimizing anyone’s ability to return fire. He also had cameras outside his room to discern when and if police showed up.

You don’t meticulously plan this, arguably for at least a year, off a whim. Gambling debts don’t add up because I’m pretty sure no casino allows people to gamble on IOUs. The question to me isn’t if he was radicalized, but what type of radicalization took place. And by the way, this was 20,000 civilians versus a well-armed and trained one-man paramilitary, where no amount of gun control or being armed could have stopped this. It was effectively Dunkirk, except the Brits were unarmed civilians at a country concert.

What’s the the most likely motive?

I have no idea what a possible motive is at this point, but I think you raise some very important points. The amount of thought put into this attack was incredible.

He was perfectly positioned to murder people from an elevated position. The advantage the high man has during a gunfight can’t be overstated. He also brought more than 20 weapons with him, and fired from two different platforms.

I’ve also found it very interesting that he attacked a country music crowd. It’s hardly the most diversified crowd. I wouldn’t be surprised if we find out down the road the country music crowd was targeted for a specific reason.

It was a horrific tragedy. Also, don’t forget all the heroics that took place during the crisis too. Strangers covered up and took bullets for people they didn’t even know. That’s what America is all about. Don’t let people convince you that our country is extremely fractured. Politics didn’t matter at all once the first shot got fired. It was about saving as many people as they could.

People supposedly smarter than me have characterized country music fans in Las Vegas as “rootin’ tootin’,” “gun-totin’,” Trump-lovin’,” “Repugs.”

Yet I have seen no reports of irresponsible return fire attempting to take out the shooter. I thought guns were dangerous because, in a situation like this mass shooting, legal gun carriers would blast away indiscriminately, exacerbating deaths and injuries.

My question: of the 59 dead and more than 500 injured, how many were shot by irresponsible right-wingers in futile attempts to return fire?

There have been zero reports that civilians fired back, and it probably wouldn’t have made any difference in this situation if they had. I’m a big fan of concealed carry, but this is not a situation where it would have made any difference. The guy was very far away and firing from a concealed, elevated position.

People who carry guns with legal concealed carry licenses are also generally very intelligent. They realize throwing lead in crowded atmosphere isn’t the best solution. The media might try to spin the narrative that gun owners just want to get into shootouts, but anybody with half a brain knows that’s not true.

I’ve noticed you appear to love college football and beer. Since you’re a Wisconsin fans (I believe you went there), what other campuses other than Madison would you love to party at on game day?

Obviously Madison has the best game-day atmosphere in America. Nobody has better combination bars, beer, women and sports culture in America. You don’t know what it means to be in love until you lock eyes with a woman 12 drinks deep, in a black sports bra and red and white stripped bibs. That’s what Wisconsin is all about.

Now, let’s talk about some places I’d like to party at for a football game. There are three schools that immediately jump out to me: Alabama, Ole Miss and Arizona State.

I know some people from Ole Miss and Alabama, and their stories from college football are very entertaining. I also happen to know a thing or two about Southern women. I’ve met very few that I don’t like. Maybe I’m biased because I grew up in the Midwest, and we’re always interested in the now shiny toy.

As for Arizona State, I just think it’d be fun to party in Tempe. Doesn’t even matter to me that their football program is a complete joke.

We all know “Grease 2” is an underrated movie and superior to the original. Come on, have you seen Michelle Pfeiffer in “Grease 2”? Enough said.

What do you think the most underrated movie of all time is? I’m only asking to gauge what kind of person you are!

I think the most underrated movie of all time is “The Perfect Getaway.”

Without a doubt one of the best movies ever made. Timothy Olyphant, Steve Zahn, Milla Jovovich, Kiele Sanchez and Chris Hemsworth make up one hell of a cast. You have to check this movie out if you’ve never seen it before.

It’s got mystery, suspense, hot babes and a great ending. Stop reading this mailbag, rent it right now and don’t do anything else before you watch the entire thing.

Your animus toward Arkansas Razorback head coach Brett Beliema seems personal. Come clean. What gives? Did he steal your fries?

#WPS

The problems between Bielema, Arkansas fans and myself are well-documented by the media. It boils down to the fact my credibility was attacked for asking a simple question. I’m not going to get into all the rumors that have been thrown around. I’ll let others worry about that.

I didn’t mind him when he was at Wisconsin. He was OK, but could never win the big one. Nobody was really sad when he left, and the program hasn’t dropped off at all. In fact, his inability to win at Arkansas is proof that he probably wasn’t nearly as good a coach as many thought.

He also wasn’t very grateful to Wisconsin for making him a star. Without the Badgers, where would he be? His arrogance is over the top, I have serious questions about him as a guy and he just doesn’t win. It’s that simple.

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