After the tragic mass shooting in Las Vegas earlier this month, stories of heroism have slowly trickled out through the media.
But one of the people at the heart of the event, the security guard who was the first person to confront the shooter Stephen Paddock, has stayed out of the spotlight since the shooting two weeks ago. Jesus Campos was patrolling the halls of the Mandalay Bay Resort Casino on the night of the shooting.
Police originally said that Campos managed to stop Paddock from firing on the crowd, then changed their story to say that Campos confronted and was shot by Paddock minutes before the shooting. The security guard was expected to clarify what happened that night on a series of TV interviews last week, but he canceled them at the last minute.
It seems that the man many are calling a hero needed time out of the spotlight to reflect on that night and recover. As he told Ellen Degeneres on his first TV since the shooting, Campos is "doing better each day, slowly but surely. Just healing mentally and physically."
And he also revealed details of his dramatic confrontation with Paddock during the interview...
Campos says that he was called to investigate Paddock's room on the 32nd floor of the hotel.
The security guard heard "drilling noises" coming from inside the shooter's room, and noticed "there was a metal bracket holding the door in place." Campos approached the door to investigate, and that's when he heard "rapid fire."
"And at first I took cover. I felt a burning sensation," Campos said. "I went to go lift my pant leg up and I saw the blood. That's when I called it in on my radio that shots have been fired." Paddock had fired through the door of his room and shot Campos through his upper thigh.
Despite being injured, the quick-thinking Campos called in the situation on his cell phone, so the hotel's walkie-talkie system wouldn't be tied up. Campos also warned a bystander and hotel engineer Stephen Schuck about Paddock, saving their lives.
During the interview, Campos took time to thank the first responders, medical staff and everyday heroes who helped during the shooting. "Everything puts pieces together on how everyone came together to help that night even in the darkest hour," he said.
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