UPDATED: 50 people dead, over 200 injured at Las Vegas shooting

At least 50 people have been shot dead and over 200 injured at an open-air music concert in Las Vegas.

According to CNN, it is the worst mass shooting in the U.S history.

Police initially said 20 people died, but the figures have been reviewed.

The shooting happened as country singer Jason Aldean was wrapping up a four-day Route 91 Harvest Festival.

The gunman identified as 64-year-old Stephen Paddock opened fire from the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay Hotel.

Police have launched investigation but are yet to ascertain the motive behind the shooters action.

Police confirmed this via its official Twitter page.

“Confirming that one suspect is down. This is an active investigation. Again, please do not head down to the Strip at this time.”

The situation is still fluid but a person of interest who was travelling with the suspect has been identified as the shooters companion.

Jason Aldean sent out a message via his Instagram page hours after the horrific incident.

“Tonight has been beyond horrific. I still don’t know what to say but wanted to let everyone know that Me and my Crew are safe. My thoughts and prayers go out to everyone involved tonight. It hurts my heart that this would happen to anyone who was just coming out to enjoy what should have been a fun night. #heartbroken #stopthehate”

President Trump has reacted to the shooting.

“My warmest condolences and sympathies to the victims and families of the terrible Las Vegas shooting. God bless you!” he said on Twitter.

Read our earlier story below:

More than 20 people are dead and more than 100 others injured after a shooting near the Las Vegas Mandalay Bay hotel, police said Monday during a press conference.

The main suspect started firing an automatic rifle from the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay hotel at 10:08 pm (0708 GMT) at a crowd of people watching an outdoor music festival during a performance by country singer Jason Aldean, Sherriff Joe Lombardo said.

The shots continued for more than a minute, with hundreds of people taking cover and trying to escape the scene.

The perpetrator, identified as a local resident, was shot and killed by police in the hotel room shortly afterwards, Lombardo added.

Though US authorities believe the perpetrator was a “sole actor,” Lombardo said that police were also searching for Mari Lou Danley, identified as an Asian woman who was with the suspect at the time of the attack.

A witness at the event told dpa she heard multiple gunshots before fleeing, and said she “crawled over dead people” as she tried to get away.

Lombardo said that several off-duty police officers had been attending the country music festival and that at least two had been killed in the incident.

He added that, despite the “confusion and hysteria” in the wake of the shooting, reports about multiple shootings cannot be confirmed.

(dpa/NAN)