Page 6 - ARUBA TODAY

A6 U.S. NEWS
Friday 17 May 2019

MGM might pay $800 million in Las Vegas shooting settlement

By KEN RITTER which owns the high-rise
Associated Press hotel and owned the con-
LAS VEGAS (AP) — Casino cert venue across Las Ve-
giant MGM Resorts told gas Boulevard, of failing
federal regulators Thursday to adequately protect the
it might pay up to $800 mil- 22,000 people attending
lion to settle liability lawsuits the Route 91 Harvest Festi-
stemming from the 2017 val. They point to findings
mass shooting in Las Vegas that the shooter, Stephen
— the deadliest in modern Paddock, spent several
U.S. history. days amassing an arsenal
“The company believes of assault-style weapons
it is reasonably possible and ammunition in the
that a settlement will be two-room suite.
reached” by next May, it Paddock was a 64-year-
told the Securities and Ex- old retired accountant and
change Commission in a high-stakes video poker
quarterly report. player. Police and the FBI
MGM Resorts also said it has say he acted alone, fir-
$751 million in insurance to ing out the windows with
pay toward a settlement. guns equipped with rapid-
However, a lawyer han- fire bump stocks then kill-
dling mediation talks for In this April 1, 2018, file photo, people carry flowers as they walk near the Mandalay Bay hotel and ing himself before officers
plaintiffs called it prema- casino during a vigil for victims and survivors of a mass shooting in Las Vegas. reached his room.
ture for the corporate own- Associated Press Paddock didn’t leave a
er of Mandalay Bay resort make its report to the SEC. of physical and psychologi- open-air concert crowd, note or a manifesto, and
to report a possible settle- Eglet said he reviewed the cal harm after a shooter killing 58 people and injur- authorities closed investi-
ment range between $735 SEC document on Thursday rained gunfire from a Man- ing more than 800. gations saying they didn’t
million and $800 million. and agreed that a settle- dalay Bay suite into an They accuse MGM Resorts, identify a motive.q
“Not even close,” attorney ment needs to be reached
amount disclosed by MGM Company spokeswoman San Francisco area homeless count
Robert Eglet said about the within a year.

He said he represents ress has been made after increases by double digits
Debra DeShong said prog-
Resorts.
about 4,200 claimants, in- multiple mediation sessions
cluding those who have over several months. by too little housing stock
sued in Nevada, California The goal is “to resolve these and a raring tech economy
and other states, and peo- matters so that all impact- that has widened the ineq-
ple who have not formally ed can move forward in uity gap. In San Francisco,
filed for damages. their healing process,” she the median price of a two-
“It’s true that a settlement is said. bedroom home is $1.3 mil-
possible,” Eglet said. MGM Resorts has defend- lion and a family of four
“But I will tell you it’s not ed itself against liability earning $117,400 a year is
probable. Nothing is claims, outraging victims considered low income.
signed. We have a long last summer when it filed “We have an affordable
way to go before we have lawsuits against more than housing crisis throughout
an agreement.” 1,900 people in a bid to California,” said Jen Lov-
Eglet said talks are ongo- consolidate claims in one ing, executive director of
ing with MGM Resorts at- federal court. the nonprofit Destination:
torneys, and that he was The plaintiffs are seeking Home in Santa Clara Coun-
aware the company would compensation for a range ty, where homelessness
In this Feb. 23, 2016, file photo, a man stands outside his tent on rose 31%. “It’s not a surprise
Division Street in San Francisco. for those of us doing this
Associated Press work,” she said. “We need
By JANIE HAR conducted in San Francis- more extremely affordable
Associated Press co, Alameda and Silicon housing. It’s not magic.”
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — A Valley’s Santa Clara coun- The homelessness point-in-
federal count shows the ties in January. Detailed time count is conducted
number of homeless peo- reports are expected later every two years and is re-
ple increased by double- this year. quired by the U.S. Depart-
digit percentages in three “The initial results of this ment of Housing and Urban
San Francisco Bay Area count show we have more Development. Los Angeles
counties over two years to do to provide more shel- is expected to release its
as the region struggled to ter, more exits from home- figures on May 31.
tackle the growing prob- lessness, and to prevent Homelessness is an issue
lem, including 17% in San people from becoming that has riven the Bay Area
Francisco and 43% in the homeless in the first place,” for years, with elected
county that includes Oak- said San Francisco Mayor leaders pledging to do
land. London Breed. more to address it. How-
More than 25,000 people The San Francisco Bay Area ever, controversies con-
were counted as homeless is grappling with a home- tinually erupt over where to
during an overnight tally lessness crisis driven in part build homeless shelters.q