A firearm malfunction during Friday’s deadly shooting at a Las Vegas gym likely prevented a mass-casualty event, police said Monday.
Authorities identified the gunman as 34-year-old Daniel Ortega of North Las Vegas. Police shot and killed Ortega after he opened fire inside the Las Vegas Athletic Club on Rainbow Boulevard near Vegas Drive.
Edgar Quinonez, a longtime employee of the gym, was killed in the attack. Four others were injured.
WARNING GRAPHIC IMAGES: Las Vegas Police Release Body Camera Footage of Deadly Gym Shooting Involving Gunman Who Killed One and Injured Several
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Body camera footage has been released showing the moment Las Vegas police… pic.twitter.com/aGEWweqzXj
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At a press conference on Monday, Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department Assistant Sheriff Jamie Prosser said Ortega, a regular at the Las Vegas Athletic Club, arrived at the gym armed with an Olympic Arms PCR-223 rifle.
Ortega reportedly walked past several people exiting the gym and approached an employee at the front desk. He then began pacing around the lobby while more patrons continued to leave.
A second employee approached and briefly spoke with him before Ortega raised his rifle and opened fire, striking the employee.
Prosser said initial investigation revealed that Ortega fired 24 rounds during the attack. “At some point his weapon malfunctioned,” she noted.
Had he survived, Prosser said Ortega would have faced multiple charges, including 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, and five counts of assault with a deadly weapon.
Prosser said the investigation into the incident is ongoing as authorities work to determine the motive behind the attack.
