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New details are emerging from one of the deadliest moments to unfold inside a Las Vegas gym, as a Clark County fact-finding review on Monday released surveillance footage showing the full scope of the May 16, 2025, shooting at an LVAC on Rainbow and Vegas Drive.
Previously, video had only captured the moment suspected gunman Daniel Ortega walked through the gym's front doors carrying an assault-style rifle.
The recording captures Ortega opening fire inside the facility as gym patrons scatter in every direction. He is seen passing the front desk and moving into the main workout area on the first floor, his weapon pointed toward fleeing customers. After that initial round of gunfire, Ortega returns toward the front desk, where, allegedly, he fires again — striking a victim in the back. That victim is seen falling to the ground.
According to police, Ortega fired at least 24 rounds in total before making his way toward the back of the gym, where he attempted to reload. Investigators revealed at the review that his weapon had jammed during that effort.
"When we recovered his weapon there was a jam in the weapon and we believe he was trying to clear that malfunction, and he is unable to and he unloads and loads several different magazines," police stated at the review.
Of the four people struck, only one did not survive. A longtime LVAC employee who had worked at the gym for 15 years suffered multiple gunshot wounds and was pronounced dead at the scene.
The three other victims each managed to escape. A 67-year-old man was grazed on the chin by shrapnel while ducking for cover and fled through the nearest exit. A 55-year-old man noticed he was bleeding after suffering fragment wounds to his leg; unable to stand, he crawled to the nearest emergency exit. A 57-year-old man was shot in the back by Ortega while in the process of walking out of the gym, causing him to fall before he was ultimately able to escape.
After his weapon jammed, Ortega removed his keys and wallet from his pockets and moved toward the gym's main entrance. Responding Metro police officers opened fire as he attempted to leave the building. Ortega was taken into custody and transported to a local hospital, where he was later pronounced dead.
The motive behind the attack remains unclear.
The factual information above was sourced from news3lv.com as of June 1, 2026.
The attorney commentary below is not specifically about the case reported above. Attorney commentary provided is information about these types of cases in the justice system.
When a shooting unfolds at a place people visit to stay healthy and unwind, the aftermath extends far beyond the police tape. Families are left grieving, survivors are left with physical and emotional wounds, and many have no idea that the civil justice system may offer them a path forward. Nevada crime victim attorney Michael Haggard walked through what victims and their families should know about premises liability, wrongful death claims, and why the clock starts ticking the moment the shooting stops.
Editor Darla Medina: When a shooting happens at a place like a gym, most people think about the criminal side of things. But what options do victims and their families have on the civil side?
Attorney Michael Haggard: The criminal process is the state's case — victims and families have little control over it. The civil side is where families can take direct action. When someone is shot or killed at a commercial facility, there are often grounds for a premises liability claim against the property owner or operator. The question we ask is whether the business took reasonable steps to protect the people inside.
Medina: What does "reasonable steps" actually mean in a shooting incident?
Haggard: It covers a wide range of things — adequate security personnel, functioning surveillance systems, controlled access points, and proper emergency protocols. If a business knew or should have known there was a risk to patrons and failed to act on it, that can form the basis of a negligent security claim. These are not easy cases, but they are well-established under Nevada law.
Medina: What about the families of someone who was killed? What are they entitled to pursue?
Haggard: Families of victims who died due to someone else's negligence can file a wrongful death claim. That can cover things like funeral costs, lost financial support, and the very real emotional toll of losing a loved one. For a spouse, a child, a parent — that loss is immeasurable, but the law does provide a path to hold negligent parties accountable.
Medina: How soon should families or survivors be thinking about this?
Haggard: As soon as possible. Nevada has statutes of limitations that restrict how long you have to file a civil claim, and evidence — surveillance footage, incident reports, security logs — can disappear quickly. The earlier a family connects with an attorney, the better positioned they are to preserve what they need to build a strong case.
Medina: Any final thought for someone who isn't sure whether they even have a case?
Haggard: Most attorneys who handle these cases offer free consultations. If you or someone in your family was hurt — or worse, killed — at a business where you had every right to feel safe, you owe it to yourself to at least ask the question. You may have more options than you realize.
If you or someone you love was injured or killed in a shooting at a gym, a mall, a parking lot, or any other public place, you do not have to face what comes next alone. The legal process can feel overwhelming when you are still processing the trauma of what happened, but you have rights — and those rights have a deadline. Contact us today to connect you to an experienced Nevada crime victim attorney who can review your case at no cost to you. One conversation could change everything.
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