Former classmate of Las Vegas shooter: 'He was a closed-in kid'

LAS VEGAS (KSNV News3LV) — As soon as Stephen Paddock’s name became public as the Las Vegas shooter, a former classmate knew it had to be the same person.

“It struck me immediately – that had to be Steve,” says Greg Palast.

Palast says he and Paddock attended Francis Polytechnic in Sun Valley, Calif., and because their names were close in alphabetic order, they were often together when such order was necessary.

They were classmates from second grade through their high school graduation.

“The main thing is that he was a math whiz. He was really brilliant,” he recalls.

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Paddock played tennis on the high school team but was otherwise quiet.

“No one was really close to him. He was a closed-in kid,” says Palast.

Palast says the two grew up in impoverished neighborhoods, and that many people knew Paddock’s father was a bank robber wanted by the FBI.

“But you know what? Where we lived, a lot of dads were in prison, or going in and out,” says Palast.

After high school, Paddock worked as a postal carrier and later as an IRS auditor. Later in life, he had success gambling and investing in real estate.

Police say Paddock’s motive remains a mystery.