Oregon man fired 71 shots, caused over $100K in damage at Las Vegas hotel on New Years Eve, police say

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    LAS VEGAS (KPTV) — An Oregon man fired more than 70 shots from a hotel balcony near the Las Vegas Strip on New Years Eve and caused more than $100,000 damages to the MGM hotel, according to police.

Jon Letzkus, 45, made his first appearance in court on Wednesday, where a judge set bail at $500,000.

An arrest record states that at around 5:55 a.m. on New Year’s Eve, Las Vegas Metro officers responded to a report about an explosion close to the MGM Signature Tower on 135 E. Harmon Ave.

After receiving reports from several witnesses about “explosions” in the vicinity, responding law enforcement officials concluded that the sounds came from the upper levels of the MGM Signature Hotel. When the police arrived, they heard gunshots in the vicinity, and they started looking for the perpetrator within the hotel.

A witness reported to the police that the explosions were actually caused by someone firing a handgun in the hotel’s second tower, which may have been on the 26th floor. The witness stated that from his room on the 31st level of the third tower, he had witnessed the suspect “firing indiscriminately” from his balcony. The witness went on to say that the man with the gun went back into his room and watched as the room’s windows “shattered” while he kept shooting his firearm.

The room where the gunshots were coming from was soon found by SWAT officers. But the gunman had vanished by the time they entered the room.

Investigators found several spent shell casings in the room and detectives were able to identify Letzkus as the suspect after finding a pill bottle with his name printed on it in the room, as well as interviewing a hotel employee who confirmed she checked him into the room.

Police were able to arrest Letzkus because CCTV footage from the MGM Pizzeria appeared to show a person who fit his description. Police reported that he was taken into custody without incident and booked into jail.

Letzkus started talking about his wife, from whom he had been estranged for 13 years, during an interrogation, according to the police report. Police said, “Jon explained that she filed for divorce approximately two months ago and ever since has been trying to ‘ruin’ him,”

The Associated Press identified Letzkus as a current resident of California. But Letzkus’ divorce papers obtained by FOX 12, which were filed in Clatsop County, Oregon, mention his wife had a restraining order against him.

The divorce papers mention that Letzkus lived in Oregon for six months at the time they were filed. The couple’s divorce trial is currently set for May 8, 2024.

According to police in Vegas, Letzkus discussed his and his wife’s marital problems in “great detail” and mentioned that he was “extremely upset” during the conversation. “He was screaming, crying, face turning red, neck veins protruding, and his fists clenched.”

Letzkus was seen on surveillance footage running around the hotel’s hallways on several floors, piling ammo on the ground, tossing his bags in the stairs, and changing into new clothes.

Jon said he believed if he opened the door to the people, they would throw him off the balcony to kill him,” documents said. “Jon explained he began placing heavy furniture from the room in front of the door [to] stop security from entering the room.”

Letzkus told police around the same time, “water began pouring into his room,” documents said. He then attempted to get “the attention of the [sic] police officers” by firing from his room.

“Jon was asked how many rounds he shot, and he stated it was so many he could not remember,” documents said.

According to MGM Resorts, the damage he caused is estimated to be over $100,000, but the total is expected to be higher as damage continues to be discovered. He is estimated to have fired 71 shots in total.

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