A Kansas man heard what he thought were fireworks late at night from his room in the Mandalay Bay Hotel and Casino, but soon realised he was staying just one floor below the gunman, Stephen Paddock.

Floyd Conrade, of Emporia, was in town on a business trip when he saw and heard “debris” raining down from above just outside his room’s window, according to the Kansas City Star.

The debris was shards of glass from when Mr Paddock used what police said was a hammer-like tool to smash his windows in order to rain bullets down on the crowd of 22,000 people attending the Route 91 Harvest Festival.

In the span of ten minutes, Mr Paddock killed 58 people, injured almost 500, before shooting himself just before police stormed his room.

Mr Conrade quickly realised these were no fireworks and ran to the bedroom of his hotel room, mindful of keeping distance between himself and the windows

“He stood and he sat. He used an app on his phone to listen to law enforcement chatter,” the father of six told the newspaper.

When the shooting stopped Mr Conrade cautiously popped his head out into the hallway but was immediately told to go back in by armed police officers.

He made the connection when he heard Mr Paddock’s room number announced over one of the officer’s radio, “32-134.”

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Mr Conrade was staying in 31-134.

He said the explosives police used to blow open Mr Paddock’s door jolted him more than the gunfire.

All through the night he heard footsteps above, crunching through broken glass and searching the entire room.

Police conducted searches of every room on the 32nd and 31st floor.

Las Vegas shooting – in pictures Show all 15 1 /15 Las Vegas shooting – in pictures Las Vegas shooting – in pictures People scramble for shelter at the Route 91 Harvest country music festival after gun fire was heard Getty Las Vegas shooting – in pictures People carry a person at the Route 91 Harvest country music festival after shots were fired David Becker/Getty Las Vegas shooting – in pictures People run from the Route 91 Harvest country music festival after gun fire was heard David Becker/Getty Las Vegas shooting – in pictures A handout photo released via Twitter by Eiki Hrafnsson (@EirikurH) showing concertgoers running away from the scene (C) after shots range out at the Route 91 Harvest festival on Las Vegas Boulevard EPA/Eiki Hrafnsson Las Vegas shooting – in pictures People lie on the ground at the Route 91 Harvest country music festival after hearing gun fire Getty Las Vegas shooting – in pictures A man in a wheelchair is taken away from the Route 91 Harvest country music festival after hearing gun fire David Becker/Getty Las Vegas shooting – in pictures People stand on the street outside the Mandalay Bay hotel near the scene of the Route 91 Harvest festival on Las Vegas Boulevard EPA/Paul Buck Las Vegas shooting – in pictures FBI agents confer in front of the Tropicana hotel-casino after a mass shooting during a music festival on the Las Vegas Strip Reuters/Las Vegas Sun/Steve Marcus Las Vegas shooting – in pictures Las Vegas police run by a banner on the fence at the Route 91 Harvest country music festival grounds after shots were fired David Becker/Getty Las Vegas shooting – in pictures An injured person is tended to in the intersection of Tropicana Ave. and Las Vegas Boulevard after a mass shooting at a country music festival Ethan Miller/Getty Las Vegas shooting – in pictures Metro Police officers pass by the front of the Tropicana hotel-casino after a mass shooting at a music festival on the Las Vegas Strip Reuters/Las Vegas Sun/Steve Marcus Las Vegas shooting – in pictures A woman sits on a curb at the scene of a shooting outside of a music festival along the Las Vegas Strip AP/John Locher Las Vegas shooting – in pictures A cowboy hat lays in the street after shots were fired near a country music festival in Las Vegas Getty Las Vegas shooting – in pictures Las Vegas Metro Police and medical workers stage in the intersection of Tropicana Avenue and Las Vegas Boulevard South after a mass shooting at a music festival on the Las Vegas Strip Reuters/Las Vegas Sun/Steve Marcus Las Vegas shooting – in pictures Sheriff Joe Lombardo (2-R) speaking during a press briefing in the aftermath of the active shooter incident on Las Vegas Boulevard EPA

Mr Conrade said he was an avid hunter growing up and though he supports the Second Amendment said “this guy was dealing with something way more above that.”

Police said Mr Paddock, a real estate millionaire and frequent gambler in Las Vegas, had 47 guns in the hotel room and his homes in Mesquite and Reno, Nevada.

They were all purchased - after passing required background checks and legal procedures - in Nevada, California, Utah and Texas.

Included in the arsenal were high-powered rifles, handguns, and bump stocks - which allows a gun to simulate rapid, automatic fire.

In addition to stocks of ammunition, Paddock also had cameras mounted inside and outside his hotel room. Police are still examining the cameras.