Transcripts For BBCNEWS BBC News At Six 20171003

Weakening her position. Scotland bans fracking after a Public Consultation shows overwhelming opposition to it. And he was one of the best selling musicians across four decades. Tom petty has died. And coming up in sportsday on bbc news. A one year ban for Britains Dan Evans after testing positive for cocaine. The itf says he wont be eligible to play again until april. Good evening and welcome to the bbc news at six. The motive for the worst mass shooting in modern American History remains a mystery, as police in las vegas try to piece together what drove a 64 year old retired accountant to shoot 59 people and injure 527. Stephen paddock opened fire from the window of his room on the 32nd floor of the mandalay bay hotel. In front of him, just across the las vegas strip, he had a clear view of the Music Festival attended by thousands of people that had onlyjust started when he began shooting with what appears to have been some kind of automatic weapon. Before yesterday, paddock was unknown to the police. He had no criminal record and was described by his neighbours as quiet. Clive myrie is in las vegas for us tonight. So far, few clues to why paddock committed such an atrocity, though he had clearly been preparing for it. Yes, fiona, there seem to be many more question marks than clues by by all accounts Stephen Paddock checked into the mandalay bay behind me three days before he orchestrated mass murder here. Unbeknownst to anyone, he checked in, took his bags up anyone, he checked in, took his bags up to the 32nd floor, they were full of guns, more than 20 of them, some of guns, more than 20 of them, some of them automatic weapons, designed to kill more people, more quickly. The big question is, why did he do it . Detectives investigating the case are at the moment is none the wiser. Our first report tonight on the latest on the investigation is from our north america editor, jon sopel. Sirens. Radio we got shots fired. Sounded like an automatic firearm. Sunday night in las vegas, and the first reports of something going terribly wrong. Its coming from upstairs in the mandalay bay. Upstairs, mandalay bay, halfway up. I see the shots coming from mandalay bay. The stress in the voices of the police, evident. They have located where the firing is coming from, and the impact hes having. We have an active shooter. We have an active shooter inside the fairgrounds. We have multiple casualties. Multiple casualties. Stephen paddock is now dead and police are searching the hotel room on the 32nd floor of the mandalay bay, which had become his armoury. So what do we know about Stephen Paddock . The 64 year old was a former accountant who had invested in property and was a serious high stakes gambler. But he had no criminal record. He lived in this house in the quiet town of mesquite, 80 miles from las vegas, with his partner, marilou danley. His father was a bank robber, who, while on the run from the authorities, was described by the fbi as a psychopath with suicidal tendencies. The president , on his way to puerto rico, and will be visiting vegas tomorrow, had this to say about paddock. He was a sick man, a demented man. A lot of problems, i guess, and we are looking into him very, very seriously. But we are dealing with a very, very sick individual. But any review of gun law seems a long way down the line, if it will happen at all. Meanwhile, more details are emerging about the massive arsenal that paddock had assembled. Some came from this shop in utah. Average, everyday joe blow. Nothing stood out. It was just normal timing, for him to come in. He was talking about how he was new to the area, visiting all the firearms stores in the area, found something on our shelves that he really liked, and it took him a couple of different trips, you could say, before he ended up purchasing. And paddock came here, too, to buy a rifle and a shotgun. The owner of the shop said the background checks were fine. There were no red flags. An expert on the guns industry last night on television was asked, how much ammunition are you allowed to buy. The answer was simple how much money have you got. Last night, normal people did what normal people do in the face of such tragedy. They came together to commune, to remember those killed and injured. America has been here many times before, and in all likelihood, will be here again. On this, history does repeat itself, regularly. Jon sopel, bbc news, las vegas. The identities of some of the 56 people shot dead by Stephen Paddock have begun to emerge. Among them, an off Duty Police Officer and a teacher. People who were caught up in the attack and who risked their lives to save the injured have been talking. 0ur correspondent james cook reports now on the victims of the las vegas shooting. Lives wasted. Families broken, future is stolen. The faces of the dead and missing tell so many stories. Las vegas is a city in pain. There are heroes here as well. Taylor winston was dancing with his girlfriend moments before the massacre. The former marine commandeered a truck to drive survivors to hospital. Commandeered a truck to drive survivors to hospitallj commandeered a truck to drive survivors to hospital. I saw a field with a bunch of white trucks, i tested my luck to see if any had keys in, and the first one we tried opening had keys sitting right there. I started looking for people to ta ke there. I started looking for people to take to hospital, but there were too many, it was overwhelming how much blood was everywhere. 0nce too many, it was overwhelming how much blood was everywhere. Once we dropped them off, we thought, lets go back for round two and get some more. This is where the most seriously injured people were brought on sunday night. Surgeons say it was like a war zone as dozens and dozens and dozens of patients arrived. More than 100 in all. The battle to save lives here is continuing. But there is only so much anyone can do. Bob patterson lost his wife in the massacre. My wife was a great person. She was very active in the church. Brought up my very active in the church. Brought up my three kids. I was with herfor over 30 years. I cant believe shes gone. I have my two older kids with me and my eight year old daughter is at home. I dont know how i will tell her. I have no idea. She loved her mummy so much. Its going to be devastating. Many lives have been saved thanks to the people of this city. Thousands have volunteered to give blood to help the wounded. People need to show their support and there is a lot of people injured on the strip, i used to work in a Trauma Centre here and i know the importance of donating blood. Its been surprisingly communal. I think people are bonding together through this ina people are bonding together through this in a way that sometimes is very difficult in las vegas. The grief is both personal and extensive, the scale of the suffering inflicted here is difficult to comprehend and even harder to bear. James cook, bbc news, las vegas. Clive, we have been hearing about the sheer scale of the killing. The discussion in america inevitably about gun control. It is, particularly, for instance, the distinction between semiautomatic and automatic weapons. With an automatic weapon, you squeeze the trigger once and fire as many bullets as are in the magazine. Its illegal, a felony to have one of those. A semiautomatic weapon, where you have to continually squeeze the trigger individually to fire off a single bullet, they are legal, but if you know what you are doing, you can if you know what you are doing, you ca n co nve rt if you know what you are doing, you can convert one to the other. You can convert one to the other. You can buy adapters from guns stores and firing ranges to convert one to the other, and that is not illegal to buy. Its one of the weird loopholes that exist in americas gun laws. Inevitably, with this mass shooting, as with all the others, the discussion now moves on to tightening gun laws. Much of the frustration of most americans, according to polls, congress continually stymies tougher background checks, for instance. Week congress doesnt feel it should put forward this kind of measure, they have tended to rule the day. President trump will arrive here tomorrow and it will be interesting tomorrow and it will be interesting to hear what he has to say on the future of gun control here in america. But for those 59 people and theirfamilies, its america. But for those 59 people and their families, its obviously too late. Clive myrie in las vegas, thank you. In todays other news, theresa may has denied borisjohnson is Boris Johnson is undermining borisjohnson is undermining her position by setting out his own views on brexit. She insists she has the idea is to set out her standing. She has been speaking to laura kuenssberg. Leading is lonely. But theresa may hast to walk her party back from the edge. Persuade the tories again, before trying with the rest of us, that we were right about her in charge. I recognise that there are people who feel left behind, parts of our communities feel left behind, and its the governments job to ensure opportunities are there for everyone. When you make that case 110w everyone. When you make that case now come you make it with passion. But when you talk to your colleagues, mps, activists and some ministers at the conference this week, they dont always feel that. They dont always see that. One told me they worry there is a smell of decay around the conference, that the party is somehow finding itself ina the party is somehow finding itself in a downward spiral. 0ne the party is somehow finding itself in a downward spiral. One of your collea g u es in a downward spiral. One of your colleagues has prepared your leadership to gordon brown. There is a need in this country to make sure the economy works across the whole country, that people can feel benefits across the whole, benefits become a growth, across the whole country. Thats the mission i have set my government, and thats what ministers and the government have been working towards. Its what this conference is about. But on many of those issues, Prime Minister, many of those issues you put forward, a radical look at social care, potentially getting rid of the triple lock on pensions, bringing back more grammar schools. Big changes you want to make, you have had to row back on. You left as a manager trying to stay afloat. No, what we have set out at the conference is a whole set of policies and ideas on how we can actually do things with people that make their lives better. Are you fully behind the Prime Minister . There are here fears of decline. Load of other things. Know, if you look at the issues boris is talking about, they reflect the issues we have taken in the florence speech. What would he have to do for you to sack him . Have you thought about it . The problem is, him behaving as he does, for many of your colleagues, its not just does, for many of your colleagues, its notjust a distraction, it undermines what you are trying to do. It doesnt undermine what im doing at all. He has been, though, one of the few this week to get this conference to crack a smile. His speech was not the vintage roof raising johnson, but with a loyal oath he did cheer them up. Lifting their post election fug. We won. Theresa may won. She won more votes than any party leader, and took this party to its highest share of the vote in any election in the last 25 years. Applause afaint years. Applause a faint chant, not a raw, for mr johnson. But tomorrow the platform belongs to the Prime Minister. Does power stay within her grasp . Laura kuenssberg, bbc news, manchester. The tensions in mrs mays government have been discussed in the european parliament. Meps were debating whether britain has made sufficient progress to move on to talks on trade. They voted no, and criticised what they saw as the divisions in mrs mays cabinet leaving them unsure who is in charge of britains negotiations. From strasbourg, adam fleming has more. Reporter hows it going, mr barnier . Going well . Everybody. Its not going well, everybody, the eus chief negotiator Michel Barnier told meps at their gleaming home in strasbourg. The eu says it means the uk cant have what it wants moving on from talks about Brexit Issues to talks about the future relationship. And, they say, britain is to blame. The Prime Ministers speech in florence was conciliatory, but speeches are not negotiation positions. And as Michel Barnier, the commissions excellent chief negotiator said last week, work still remains to be done. We have not yet made the sufficient progress needed. A few a very few think its the other sides fault. Youve treated us as if we are some kind of hostage. That unless we pay a ransom, unless we meet all of your demands. All of your demands, then you wont even have an intelligent conversation with us about trade heading on from here. But in a building where they speak 2a european languages, its striking how many people want to talk about the tories far away in manchester. I hear the speech of theresa may in florence. I read the article from Boris Johnson in the newspapers in great britain. And i dont have a clue what is now the position of great britain, and that is my problem. And i think the Prime Minister must create clarity. One option could be to sack the foreign minister, borisjohnson, and the other could be to sit together and find a common wording. The meps who sit in these seats will only have a formal say right at the end of all of this, when thers a final deal on the table. This was all about sending a message to eu leaders because it is they who will decide how the process is going when they sit down for a summit in a fortnights time. The British Government said its focus is on the next round of talks, due next week. Here, theyre crossing their fingers for a breakthrough. Adam fleming, bbc news, strasbourg. Its coming up to 6. 20pm. Our top story this Evening Police in las vegas are still searching for a motive as to why a gunman killed 59 people and injured over 500. Still to come the government moves to ban the sale of acid to under 18s after a steep rise in attacks. Coming up in sportsday on bbc news. No gareth bale for wales world cup qualifiers, a calf injury means hes been ruled out for matches against georgia and the republic of ireland. Fracking is to be banned in scotland. The controversial practice of using High Pressure water underground to extract shale gas was put to a Public Consultation, the result was overwhelming opposition to it. Environmental groups say the decision will be welcomed around the world. 0ur scotland editor, sarah smith, reports. The huge petrol Chemical Plant at grangemouth has been hoping for yea rs grangemouth has been hoping for years to grangemouth has been hoping for yea rs to process grangemouth has been hoping for years to process shale gas extracted from under the ground right on their doorstep. Thank you presiding 0fficer. Doorstep. Thank you presiding officer. Today the Scottish Government announced it will extend the existing moratorium on fracking indefinitely. Balancing the interests of the environment, our economy, Public Health and Public Opinion, the conclusion of the Scottish Government is that we will not support the development of Unconventional Oil and gas in scotland. Applause fracking inspires passionate protest and public opposition clearly informed the sgloechlts decision. Based also they say on scientific evidence. Theres shale rock like this throughout Central Scotland, i can pull some of the Pieces Office in my hand. They contain oil and gas depositing that iing neared this heated debate about whether fracking could provide Economic Opportunity as well as Energy Security or whether its a danger to Public Health as well as to the environment. Energy companies had hoped to extract shale gas by high drolically fracturing under ground rock across large parts of central scotla nd rock across large parts of Central Scotland a heavily populated area where residents strongly resisted. Campaigners now home westminster will take similar action. Now england is the last place where the government is advocating the technology. It has been met with enormous resistance where ever its proposed in england and this ban, announced today in scotland, will add weight to that fight south of the border. Shale gas is already being imported into scotland, fracked in pennsylvania and shipped across the ocean. The importers, ineos wanted to extract gas in scotla nd ineos wanted to extract gas in scotland instead. Its a negative message for scotland beyond our interest in shale. Its a message that says we will not rest in science we will accept Public Opinion as described as being the basis of the decision. Experts disagree on the safety anded Environmental Impact of fracking. Recent Geological Research suggests our shale rock is too old to provide much gas. We are, apparently, 55 million years too late. Sarah smith, bbc news, grangemouth. A homeless man who attacked a family whod offered him shelter and a job, has pleaded guilty at Birmingham Crown court to two counts of murder. Aaron barley, whos 2a, stabbed Tracey Wilkinson and her teenage son, pierce, at the family home where theyd taken him in, in stourbridge, in the west midlands. A general strike is being held across the region of catalonia in protest against the government and Police Crackdown on sunday on people voting in a referendum on independence for the region of catalonia. Huge crowds have gathered in the regional capital barcelona, schools and shops have closed and only a quarter of buses and trains have been running. The government is to ban the sale of acids to anyone under the age of 18. The home secretary says she also intends to drastically limit the sale of sulphuric acid that can be used to make explosives. The announcement follows a large increase in assaults using corrosive substances, more than 400 attacks in the six months to april. Our home affairs correspondent, daniel sandford, has been speaking to a victim of one such attack. His report contains distressing images. The agony of the aftermath of an acid attack in east london in july. Thieves had thrown a corrosive substance in the face of motorbike delivery driverjabed hussain and police were trying to reduce the pain and save his face. Fortunately, he survived without serious injury, but this afternoon he told me the attack had left him mentally scarred. After that incident, im really scared. I know the pain what happened to me, i never cried like that on the street, and i dont want anybody else should cry on the street like me. Others like resham khan and her cousin Jameel Muhktar have suffered life altering facial burns and today the home secretary promised she would change the law. Acid attacks are absolutely revolting. Youve all seen the pictures of victims that never fully recover, endless surgeries, lives ruined. So today im also announcing a new offence to prevent the sale of acids to under 18s. As well as a complete ban on selling to people under 18, her proposals would make it illegal for anyone to carry corrosive substances without good reason and people would need a licence to buy one of the most dangerous liquids, sulphuric acid, but victims fear young criminals will still be able to get hold of it. They can arrange from their home kitchen, they can arrange from anywhere. They can buy it by somebody else. So, its not going to help like that. The rising numbers in the uk, particularly in london, have made it one of the worst countries in the world for acid attacks, some rules on selling corrosive substances were relaxed just two years ago. Daniel sandford, bbc news. Rock musics biggest stars have led tributes to the american musician, tom petty, who has died at the age of 66. He had a long career with his band the heartbreakers and then with the super group, the travelling wilburys, and sold more than 80 million records worldwide. 0ur entertainment correspondent, david sillito, looks back at his life. Well, i wont back down well, i wont back down no, well, i wont back down no,| well, i wont back down no, iwont well, i wont back down no, i wont back down. Tom petty had one ambition, as a child he met elvis and thenth beatles, his heart was set on rock and roll. I wont back down. His songs were rooted in real life. His songs were rooted in real life. His band the heartbreakers old friend from his home state of florida that he bumped into one night ina florida that he bumped into one night in a studio. I came down to the studio and this band was in the room. They are all people id known. So we playeded that night, and it was so good, i really enjoyed it so i went i have to hustle this one. We formed a band within hours. We were on the album the next day. He was kind and gentle and sincere. I think thats one of the things that people most admired about him. That he wanted to rock and roll. Most admired about him. That he wanted to rock and roll. He was in a rock and roll wanted to rock and roll. He was in a rock and roll band. He wanted to rock and roll. He was in a rock and roll band. He loved what he did. They didnt want people telling him what to do. He kept true to his music all the way through. You can sit around and wait for the phone to ring at the phone to ring at the end of the line. It was another chance encounter that led to him join bob dillon, george harrison, roy orbison and jeff lynne in the travelling wilburys. The tributes today were a role call of rock abg stars. This from his daughter. His final tour ended only days ago. He said it would probably be his last. Rock and roll had been his life and he wanted to make the most of what time he had. Tom petty, whos died aged 66. Time for a look at the weather, heres alina jenkins. Some spots held on to the sunshine for much of the day. St ives was one of those places. For many the sunshine has been eroded by the cloud, streaming down from the north and west. That has brought showers to North Western parts of england, Northern Ireland and also to western parts of scotland. Not a bad day for spotting rainbows. What we find this evening and overnight is that the showers across scotland will give way to a general spell of rain. It will sink southwards towards the borders, Northern Ireland, the far north of england. For much of england and wales overnight it will be dry and clearer skies. These are the temperatures in town. In the countryside, especially for southern parts of england, down to three or four celsius and close to freezing for the northern ist sles. Here it will be windy, sunshine and showers. Rain to the central belt of scotland running into Northern Ireland and sinking southwards, intensifying as it does so. For much of england and wales it will be dry, bright and breezy, spells of sunshine. With more a breeze and cloud and the rain moving in it will feel cooler than it has done today. This rain across Northern Ireland, Northern England sinking into northern parts of wales through tomorrow night. Notjust wet, but potentially quite windy as well. We could see gales for a time as this area of low pressure sweeps across the country. A bluesy start to thursday particularly to southern and eastern parts of england. The rain will clear and behind it spells of sunshine. Yes, a few showers feeding down. Dry weather but it will feel chilly in that breeze. That sets us up for a chilly night into friday. Clearer skies, we could see a touch of frost as the windfall lighter. We end the week, yes, on a chilly note, but fine with some sunshine. The wind will ease down. In the sunshine it should feel quite pleasant. Thank you. Thats all from the bbc news at six, so its goodbye from me hello. This is bbc news. The headlines. President trump says America Needs to talk about its gun laws after Stephen Paddock shot dead 59 people in las vegas so far theres no sense of his motives. He was a sick man, a demented man, a lot of problems i guess, and we are looking into him very, very seriously, but we are dealing with a very sick individual. Meanwhile, President Trump has arrived in the us territory