Crime
Video shows moments Las Vegas Athletic Club shooting suspect Daniel Ortega shot and killed by officer
LAS VEGAS — Authorities have identified the gunman in last week’s deadly shooting at the Las Vegas Athletic Club (LVAC) as 34-year-old Daniel Ortega.
During a press conference held Monday, the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department (LVMPD) provided new details about the incident and confirmed the victim as 31-year-old Edgar Quinonez, a longtime LVAC employee.
Assistant Sheriff Jamie Prosser said Ortega entered the LVAC location on North Rainbow Boulevard around 1:30 p.m. on Friday armed with a rifle.
He walked past multiple gym-goers and approached the front desk where Quinonez was working.
A second employee briefly interacted with Ortega before fleeing when the suspect raised his weapon and opened fire.
Quinonez was struck by gunfire, and Ortega continued to pursue him further into the facility, firing a total of 24 rounds before his rifle malfunctioned.
According to Prosser, the weapon malfunction likely prevented what could have been a mass casualty event.
“Fortunately, this gentleman had a malfunction in his weapon, which saved this from becoming a mass casualty event,” Prosser said.
Quinonez, a resident of Las Vegas, died at the scene.
Police emphasized that he had no known prior relationship or interaction with Ortega, and the motive for the shooting remains undetermined at this time.
Ortega was confronted by law enforcement shortly after the shooting began.
Three responding officers opened fire during the encounter.
Ortega died at the scene.
In accordance with department policy, those officers have been placed on paid administrative leave while the incident remains under investigation.
LVMPD also noted that Ortega was an active member of that specific LVAC location.
Authorities continue to investigate the shooter’s background and possible motives.
AUSTIN, Texas — A man was taken into custody Saturday afternoon following a shooting inside the Austin Central Library that left one person seriously injured and prompted a large emergency response and temporary shelter-in-place order in the downtown area.
According to the Austin Police Department (APD), officers responded shortly after 12:00 p.m. to reports of gunfire inside the Austin Central Library, located at 710 W. César Chávez Street.
Upon arrival, police and Austin-Travis County EMS units found one victim suffering from a gunshot wound.
The individual was transported to a local hospital in serious but stable condition.
Assistant Police Chief Lee Rogers stated during a press briefing that the shooter fled the scene before officers arrived.
After an extensive search, the suspect—identified as 55-year-old Harold Newton Keene—was located and arrested in South Austin at approximately 1:25 p.m.
The library was safely evacuated, and the shelter-in-place alert was lifted shortly after Keene’s apprehension.
Authorities emphasized that the shooting appeared to be an isolated incident involving only one suspect and one victim.
“This was not an active shooter situation,” Rogers confirmed.
Preliminary reports and public records reveal that Harold Newton Keene has a lengthy criminal history, including multiple arrests for assault, family violence, terroristic threats, burglary, drug possession, and evading arrest.
He is described by law enforcement officials as a habitual violent offender who has had numerous prior run-ins with police.
Records indicate Keene was previously arrested for threatening a man with a firearm several months ago and, in a separate incident, assaulted another inmate while in custody at the Travis County Jail.
In both cases, prosecutors later declined to pursue charges.
Authorities have not yet released a possible motive for the shooting or confirmed whether the suspect and victim knew each other.
The Austin Police Department’s Major Crimes Division is leading the investigation.
Anyone with information related to the incident is urged to contact the Austin Police Department or Crime Stoppers at 512-472-TIPS.