FBI: 'No connection' found between Las Vegas shooter and Islamic State

CAIRO/WASHINGTON, Oct 2 (Reuters) - Islamic State has claimed responsibility for a shooting that killed at least 50 people and wounded over 400 in Las Vegas early on Monday, however, U.S. officials said that there was no evidence the shooter was linked to the group.

An FBI special agent said on Monday that there was "no connection" between the shooter and an international terrorist group.

One U.S. official said there was reason to believe that the shooter, whom police identified as 64-year-old Stephen Paddock, had a history of psychological problems.

Islamic State issued a statement through its Amaq news agency claiming responsibility for the shooting, saying that the attacker had converted to Islam a few months ago.

"The Las Vegas attack was carried out by a soldier of the Islamic State and he carried it out in response to calls to target states of the coalition," the group's news agency Amaq said in reference to the U.S.-led coalition fighting the group in the Middle East.

(Reporting by Mark Hosenball; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama and Jeffrey Benkoe)