LVMPD Blame Laura Loomer by Insinuating She Caused Campos Disappearance?
In yet another bizarre twist in the Las Vegas shooting story, a Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department (LVMPD) officer appears to have blamed Laura Loomer for the alleged disappearance of security guard Jesus Campos. He is a key witness to the the October 1 massacre, which left 58 people dead and over 500 injured.
Responding to questions surrounding the idea of Campos being missing, an LVMPD officer seemed to single out independent investigative journalist Laura Loomer. “If you were getting bombarded by media attention from people like Laura Loomer, it’s your choice not to disclose your location,” said officer Larry Hadfield. (Source: “PANIC MODE: Las Vegas Police Blame @LauraLoomer For ‘Missing’ Security Guard, Sheriff Blocks Her On Twitter,” GotNews, October 17, 2017.)
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Hadfield added that just because Campos is “missing” according to the media, he isn’t considered missing by the LVMPD. This would suggest that his location was known within the department.
Laura Loomer Blamed by LVMPD for Missing Jesus Campos?
Whether the LVMPD literally blamed Loomer for the supposed disappearance of Campos isn’t clear. They certainly mentioned her by name and insinuated that Campos could be hiding in order to evade the dogged questions from investigative journalists like Loomer. But that’s not a direct accusation.
Why so much attention focused on Loomer? It’s likely linked to Loomer’s determination to obtain key facts on the case. She has broken several key stories related to the Las Vegas shooting, such as a possible social security number breach by Campos. Loomer has also ought to interview Campos at his house after he skipped several scheduled interviews with mainstream media outlets. (Source: “BREAKING REPORT – @LauraLoomer: Mandalay Bay Security Guard Jesus Campos Shared SSN With “Jesus A Quintero,” GotNews, October 17, 2017.)
Loomer was the first to report that the Campos family might be under a gag order. She has also been quite vocal about discrepancies in the LVMPD’s shooting timeline, which has changed several times.
At this point, it’s possible that the LVMPD might feel that Loomer is infringing too much on their turf. Perhaps they feel that she is not asking the right questions, or worse, compromising the investigation in some regard. Either way, the LVMPD has now taken measures to shut her out from their daily briefings.
.@MikeTokes & I were not allowed inside the @LVMPD @FBI #LasVegasShooting press conference today. We're in the lobby. Officer blocking door. pic.twitter.com/Oq3c4zWD2u
— Laura Loomer (@LauraLoomer) October 13, 2017
Laura Loomer Blocked by Joe Lombardo
Extending beyond the daily briefings, Loomer has now been blocked on Twitter by key heads of the investigation. LVMPD Sheriff Joe Lombardo has apparently had enough, and has banned Loomer from accessing his Twitter feed.
LOL Sheriff Lombardo blocked me!
I guess he couldn't handle my REAL questions… Don't worry, I'll be back soon Joe. #LasVegasShooting pic.twitter.com/bJMiBGqJnr
— Laura Loomer (@LauraLoomer) October 17, 2017
Why Did Jesus Campos Disappear from the Public?
There’s no conclusive evidence indicating why Campos disappeared from the public eye. Originally, he was scheduled for at least five mainstream media interviews, including with well-known Fox News host Sean Hannity, but he skipped out on all of them. Campos had been hiding out from the media ever since. (Source: “Las Vegas security guard Jesus Campos disappears moments before TV interviews,” Fox News, October 13, 2017.)
Therefore, we can only speculate at this point about the reasons for his lack of public appearances.
Some of the more imaginative members of the so-called “alt-right” claim that Campos’s evasion of the media is evidence of a conspiracy. The theory goes that Campos knows something that the authorities don’t want to disclose. While that’s certainly within the realm of possibility, it’s a completely unproven assertion.
More likely, Campos is simply overwhelmed and doesn’t want to misspeak or provide any gossip fodder for the non-accredited media. Given the importance of the case and the criminal and civil law ramifications, Campos might believe he has little to gain from speaking outside of official channels. Another possibility is that perhaps he’s holding back his story due to a profit incentive.
That isn’t stopping him from speaking to Ellen DeGeneres today, however. Campos has had several days now to coordinate his message in a controlled environment. It’s unclear whether he is being financially compensated to appear, and it remains to be seen whether any new information will be revealed in that interview.
Where Has Jesus Campos Been?
We don’t have information on the exact location of Jesus Campos, but it’s a good bet that the LVMPD and his employer, MGM Resorts International, have known his whereabouts since the shooting. “Jesus Campos wants to tell his story at a time and place of his choosing,” said an MGM spokesperson. “He’s asked that everyone respect his request for privacy.” (Source: “Mandalay Bay security guard set to appear on ‘Ellen’ after avoiding media — VIDEO,” Las Vegas Review-Journal, October 17, 2017.)
Furthermore, there have been signs outside Campos’s Las Vegas home, saying “NO TRESPASSING” and “NO MEDIA ON PROPERTY.” Whether that is meant to dissuade visitors from interviewing Campos or members of his family (or both) is unclear. But it points to the possibility that he has been hiding out at home.
Jesus Campos to Appear on Ellen Degeneres Show
Jesus Campos is set to re-emerge by appearing on the Ellen DeGeneres Show today. According to the trailer, Campos is set to discuss the events which took place around the Mandalay Bay suite in question. Perhaps key witness testimony will shed further light on a murky sequence of events.
Tomorrow, the first people to encounter the Las Vegas shooter are here – security guard Jesus Campos and building engineer Stephen Schuck. pic.twitter.com/dDmjzN6xBx
— Ellen DeGeneres (@TheEllenShow) October 18, 2017
Our Verdict
Did the LVMPD blame Laura Loomer for Jesus Campos’s disappearance? From our perspective, they did not. At least, they didn’t do so directly.
While the LVMPD did mention Loomer’s name, they could have been generally referring to the aggressive nature of non-accredited investigative reporting as the cause for Campos’s evasions. As Loomer has been ferociously and determinedly leading the charge, they singled her out, although the LVMPD hasn’t specifically accused her of anything.
