Las Vegas Shooting Hero Guard Tells Ellen DeGeneres His Story

Jesus Campos is definitely not missing. The security guard at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino who was hailed as a hero for his actions the night of Oct. 1 when Stephen Paddock opened fire, killing scores and injuring hundreds, appeared on "The Ellen DeGeneres Show" on Wednesday.

After he canceled scheduled appearances on network news shows last week, the head of his union said that Campos had not been heard from, leading to rumors. On Tuesday, Mandalay Bay owner MGM Resorts put out a statement saying that they'd been in contact with Campos and he would tell his story when it was time.

Apparently, that time was Wednesday. (For more information on the aftermath of the shooting and other Las Vegas stories, subscribe to Patch to receive daily newsletters and breaking news alerts. If you have an iPhone, click here to get the free Patch iPhone app.)

Campos told DeGeneres that he originally responded to the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay after an alarm went off indicating a door had been open for an extended period. On his way, he was met by a blocked stairwell door.

"It didn't open, it was blocked off," he said. "They're always supposed to stay open."

As he entered the hallway, he let a heavy door slam shut behind him.

"I believe that’s what caught the shooter’s attention," Campos said. "As I was walking down, I heard rapid fire and, at first, I took cover. I felt a burning sensation.

"I went to go lift my pant leg up and I saw the blood."

Paddock had fired more than 200 rounds in the deadly assault on the Route 91 Harvest Country Music Festival. Campos was hit once, in the leg.

"I called it in on my radio that shots had been fired," he said. "I was going to say I was hit, but I got on my cellphone just to clear that radio traffic, so they could coordinate the rest of the call."

Campos was joined on the show by a building engineer, Stephen Schuck.

He had been on an even higher floor and arrived by service elevator, not knowing what he was getting into.

"Once I got more than halfway is when I saw Jesus and I started to hear shooting," Schuck said, adding he thought at first it was work being done, but dismissed that explanation because of the late hour — Paddock began firing on the crowd was shortly after 10 p.m. — and because Campos was shouting at him, "Take cover! Take cover!

"If he didn't say that, I would have got hit," Schuck said.

Schuck said that Campos also saved the life of a woman who had left her room to see what the commotion was.

The interview appears to be Campos's last — for now, at least.

As it came to a close, DeGeneres said to him: "You're talking about it now and then you're not going to talk about it again. I don't blame you because why relive this over and over?"

The interview did little clear up questions about the timeline of the shooting.

While Las Vegas police originally said that Campos was shot after Paddock had opened fire on concertgoers, they then revised the timeline to say that it happened before.

MGM Resorts says they have issues with the revised timeline released by police but have not specified their differences.

WATCH THE WHOLE INTERVIEW

Photo Michael Rozman/Warner Brothers, used with permission