Gun malfunction stopped ‘mass-casualty’ event during Las Vegas gym shooting

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Las Vegas, NV - A gun malfunction during a deadly Las Vegas gym shooting Friday likely “saved the incident from being a mass-casualty event,” police said Monday.

The gunman was identified Monday as Daniel Ortega, 34, Nexstar’s KLAS first reported.

Police shot and killed Ortega, of North Las Vegas, after the shooting inside the Las Vegas Athletic Club last Friday on Rainbow Boulevard near Vegas Drive. Edgar Quinonez, a longtime employee, was killed, the business said Saturday.

Three other people were injured in the shooting.

Ortega worked as a bellman at a Las Vegas Strip property, several sources told KLAS. A funeral home caring for his remains had no comment Monday on behalf of the family.

On May 16, shortly after 1:30 p.m., Ortega arrived at the gym, armed with an Olympic Arms PCR-223 caliber rifle and “multiple” ammunition magazines, LVMPD Asst. Sheriff Jamie Prosser said.

Ortega walked passed several people who were leaving the gym and approached an employee, who was working the front desk. Prosser said Ortega then began to “pace” around the front desk while several other people left the business.

A second employee approached Ortega and the two “briefly exchanged words.” The employee ran away after Ortega raised the rifle and began to shoot, hitting the employee.

Ortega followed the employee deeper into the business, continuing to shoot, before making his way back to the front lobby, still shooting, Prosser said.

At some point during the incident, Ortega’s weapon malfunctioned, Prosser said, though she did not specify how. She later said this malfunction “saved the incident from being a mass-casualty event.”

At around 1:35 p.m., several people called 911 to report what was happening, and officers were sent to the gym.

“I think I saw someone come in with an AR,” a person who called 911 said.

Moments later, shots could be heard over the call.

At 1:39 p.m., Officers Kaid Urban, Skeeter Black, and Aaron Javier arrived at the gym. All three officers approached the front doors and saw Ortega.

Officer Javier fired a round through the window at Ortega. Shortly after, Ortega left the gym and attempted to run past the officers, according to police.

Officer Urban fired four rounds, and Officer Black fired one, hitting Ortega.

Police then took Ortega into custody and began providing life-saving measures, according to LVMPD officials. Medical personnel arrived and took Ortego to a local hospital, where he later succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead.

Additional officers arrived and located Quinonez, as well as three other victims suffering from gunshot wounds. Medical personnel took them to local hospitals.

Police later learned another person took themselves to another hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

Prosser said during the briefing that as of Monday afternoon, police could not confirm anything regarding a possible motive as the investigation was still ongoing.

She said Ortega was a member of the gym and worked out at that location, but there is no connection between the victim and the suspect.

Ortega would have faced the following charges if he had survived:

* One count of murder with a deadly weapon
* Three counts of attempted murder
* Three counts of assault with a deadly weapon on a protected person
* Five counts of assault with a deadly weapon