LAS VEGAS (FOX5) — A fact-finding review in the police shooting of Daniel Ortega, who opened fire inside a Las Vegas Athletic Club gym last year, has presented new surveillance video of the incident.
The review was part of a standard process reviewing officer-involved shooting deaths and determining if the officers’ actions were justified or may need additional prosecution. In the case of Daniel Ortega, the panel determined that the officers were justified in their actions.
The Clark County District Attorney’s Office determined no criminal prosecution of the officers was appropriate following the May 16, 2025 shooting at the gym in the 1700 block of North Rainbow Boulevard.
Detective Mark Colon of Metro’s Force Investigation Team presented findings at the public review, which included surveillance video, body-worn camera footage and witness statements.
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Shooting inside gym
Ortega, 34, entered the gym at 1:33 p.m. carrying an Olympic Arms .223 rifle and walked to the lobby desk, according to the review. According to the review, employees told officers that Ortega pointed the rifle at employees and told one worker, “I advise you to hide.”
Employee A.M., 19, was working the front desk when Ortega entered. She later told officers she thought he was joking at first. When she asked if he was joking, Ortega replied, “No. I advise you to hide.”
Ortega shot and killed Edgar Quinonez, 31, the club manager who had worked there for 14 years. The autopsy determined Quinonez’s cause of death was multiple gunshot wounds.
Ortega fired at least 24 rounds inside the gym, striking three other people. A.P., 67, suffered a graze wound to the chin from shrapnel. J.R., 55, was hit in the leg by fragments. J.T., 57, suffered a gunshot wound to the back.
Two other employees were victims of assault with a deadly weapon but were not struck by gunfire.
Detectives determined Ortega’s rifle jammed while he was shooting in the gym. Surveillance video showed him pacing and manipulating the firearm, trying to clear the malfunction. He was unable to fix the jam.
Officers respond and shoot
Three LVMPD officers — identified as officers Kate Urban, Aaron Javier and Skeeter Black — responded to the initial 911 calls reporting an active shooter at the gym. According to Detective Colon’s presentation, the three officers deployed rifles and set up positions outside the gym entrance.
Officer Javier fired one shot through a window at Ortega while he was inside the gym. The shot broke the glass but did not strike Ortega, Colon said.
Ortega was then seen exiting the gym while carrying the rifle, prompting officers Urban and Black to fire a total of five rounds, striking Ortega. Officer Urban fired four rounds officer Black fired one round from approximately 32 feet 11 inches away.
Officers placed Ortega in custody and rendered aid. Medical personnel arrived on scene at 1:49 p.m. Ortega died from multiple gunshot wounds. Toxicology results showed no drugs or alcohol in his system.
Weapon malfunction and ammunition
Crime scene analysts recovered Ortega’s rifle with a double feed malfunction — two cartridges stuck in the barrel blocking its functionality.
Detectives found multiple loaded magazines Ortega had brought to the gym. A magazine in the lobby contained 60 rounds. Another in the juice bar area had 40 rounds. Ortega had a magazine with 20 rounds in his left pocket. The magazine in his rifle contained 30 unfired rounds.
Investigators found additional ammunition in a bag in Ortega’s vehicle and more ammunition at his residence.
Officer statements and training
All three officers who fired their weapons provided walkthroughs through their attorney but declined to give separate statements. Nevada law does not require officers to provide statements.
In the walkthroughs, officers said they responded to an active shooter call, deployed rifles and set up behind cover. They said they fired because they feared for their safety, other officers’ safety and the safety of citizens in the area.
Detective Colon said officers responding to active shooter situations are trained to stop the shooter from continuing to harm people inside a building.
Officers did not give verbal commands to Ortega. Colon said officers were at least 30 feet away with two sets of doors between them and Ortega, making it unrealistic that he would have heard commands.
Investigation findings
According to police, fifteen people who were inside the gym during the incident were interviewed by detectives. Many more people in the area were screened as potential witnesses.
Family and friends told detectives Ortega had been acting differently lately but not in a violent manner. He did not mention wanting to lash out violently toward anyone. No professional mental health diagnosis was found.
A.M. initially described Ortega as calm with a mellow tone of voice. He did not start firing immediately when he entered or encountered anyone.
Had Ortega survived, he would have been charged with murder with a deadly weapon, three counts of attempted murder, three counts of assault with a deadly weapon on a police officer, and five counts of assault with a deadly weapon.
To learn more about the investigation, additional documents from the investigation are considered public records and are available on the Clark County website.
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