Law Enforcement Officials say that at least 58 people are dead and more than 500 are injured in what is now described as the worst mass shooting incident in recent US history. But officials say there is no evidence of any link to international terrorism. Despite this Daesh, also known as ISIS or ISIL, declares it is responsible. They also proclaimed that the shooter was a Daesh soldier who had recently converted. Police say there is no current evidence that this claim is valid.
Whatever you the reader may want to define as terrorism or not, I suggest this is a certain example of home-grown terrorism. The suspect, found dead in a 32 second floor hotel room where windows were broken out to provide shooting access, to a crowd of more than 20, 000 concert goers, clearly planned for the ensuing mayhem. The gunman, identified as 64 year old Stephen Paddock, had at least 10 rifles and ammunition in the room, including at least one machine gun. Acting on a search warrant, law enforcement also found more rifles and ammunition in Paddock’s home. Paddock apparently killed himself before police broke into his hotel room.
In an attempt to discover more about the possible motive for the mass shooting by Paddock, police are interviewing a female, 62 year old Marylou Danley, believed to be a close associate of Paddock. She was located outside the country following the attack. Law enforcement officials have stated she is likely not connected to the attack. At this time of writing the investigation is continuing.
Home grown terrorism is the main plot feature of my second novel in the Sean-Guy O’Dwyer-Larriviere series of anti-terrorism thrillers. The working title is A Prairie Vendetta which finds a small band of disillusioned Métis young adults led by a murderous motorcycle gang member recently exiled from Montreal. He and Sean-Guy have a connection though Sean-Guy does not realize it when he first learns about the gang.
Home grown terror is a reality and the novel will be a warning tale about it. I’m still in writing mode for A Prairie Vendetta so I’ll have to let you know sometime in the future, near future I hope, when it is ready for your reading. Until then…
Thanks for your support. Happy Reading everyone.
Ron Stotyn, PhD 
I am a retired college professor and former broadcast journalist. I live in Vermont with my wife. I write near the shores of Lake Champlain. As an author I cast characters in the task of anti-terrorism efforts. The setting for my stories is Canada. My first novel is The Chechen's Revenge, a story of Sean-Guy O'Dwyer-Lariviere and his team of Canadian Anti-terrorism Service agents on the trail of a rebel Chechen, determined to create havoc and death on Toronto's Go Train system. The Chechen's Revenge is now in print and can be ordered online at https://mkt.com/northof49publishing.
ron stotyn's northof49blog 
Leave a Reply