Las Vegas Police: Mass Casualty Shooting Averted when Gunman Rifle Malfunctons

By Akiya Dillon and Katie Futterman

Source Las Vegas Review-Journal

LAS VEGAS — A gunman fired 24 rounds inside a Las Vegas fitness center, killing one, before his rifle malfunctioned, which police said Monday averted a mass casualty event.

The shooter, whom authorities identified as 34-year-old Daniel Ortega, arrived at the Las Vegas Athletic Club at 1725 N. Rainbow Boulevard at 1:33 p.m. Friday, pacing near the entrance, and approached an employee at the front desk, the Metropolitan Police Department said during a news conference.

Another worker stepped up to speak with him, but fled when Ortega raised his gun and started firing, Assistant Sheriff Jamie Prosser told reporters.

He killed a gym manager, Edgar Quinonez, and injured three, according to police.

Prosser said that Ortega had more magazines with ammunition on him, but his weapon failed after the 24 shots were fired.

“Fortunately, this gentleman had a malfunction in his weapon, which actually saved this from being a mass casualty event,” Prosser said at a Monday briefing.

Police did not provide an update on the conditions of the other victims, but on Friday authorities said two had been taken to University Medical Center. One was in critical condition, while the other suffered injuries that were not life-threatening. Another made their own way to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, police said.

Ortega was a member at the LVAC, and worked out at that location, according to Prosser, who said police had not identified a motive.

Police arrived at the scene at 1:39 and hit Ortega with four rounds as he tried to leave the property, according to police. He was taken to UMC, where he was pronounced dead, Prosser said.

Ortega would have been charged on suspicion of one count of murder with a deadly weapon, three counts of assault with a deadly weapon on a protected person, and five counts of assault with a deadly weapon, Prosser said.

Prosser said during the press conference that there was no connection between Ortega and Quinonez. She also said there did not appear to be an dispute between Ortega and the employees prior to the shooting.

She also shared body camera footage from the shooting which showed officers arriving at the scene after Ortega stopped shooting. He was shot as he ran out of the gym, according to the videos.

‘Kind to everyone’

April Dianna, 31, dated Quinonez years ago, and said the two kept in touch. Dianna struggled to process the news of his death.

“He was a great guy,” Dianna said. “He was very kind to everyone, and he was a very hardworking person.”

Dianna added that Quinonez grew up in Las Vegas, loving the Vegas Golden Knights and all things sports.

Another friend, Alejandro Perez, called Quinonez a “super positive person.” He said they met when he helped sign him up for a gym membership in 2016.

Two days after the shooting, Metro identified Kaid Urban, 29; Skeeter Black, 44; and Aaron Javier, 37, of the Bolden Area Command, as the officers who took down the gunman as he ran out of the building.

Urban has been employed with the department since 2020, Black has been employed with the department since 2015, and Javier since 2016, according to Metro.

___

Visit reviewjournal.com.

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.