Man suspected of shooting near Strip faces over 70 felony counts

Jon Roger Letzkus, 45, was arrested Sunday after Las Vegas police responded to multiple calls of gunshots just before 6 a.m. in the 100 block of East Harmon Avenue, just east of Las Vegas Boulevard near the MGM Grand.

“Upon arrival, they heard gunshots themselves, but they could not find any victims, and I can tell you that no one was shot during this incident,” said Metropolitan Police Department Deputy Chief Dori Koren said Sunday.

Letzkus was arrested outside the high-rise around 10:40 a.m.

Officers who searched the high-rise after Letzkus’ arrest found “some indication that there was some shooting, potentially, from the balcony” of Letzkus’s unit, Koren said during the Sunday press conference.

There were also “gunshot impacts to window of that unit,” as well as “other gunshot impacts” inside the high-rise, Koren said.

Officers found a handgun and ammunition in the unit, Koren said.

Ahead of Sunday night’s New Year’s Eve celebrations in Las Vegas, in which some 400,000 were expected to ring in 2024 on the Strip and in downtown Las Vegas, Koren sought to reassure the public that the shooting was an isolated incident and that, after Letzkus’ arrest, there was no further threat.

“Leading up to tonight’s New Year’s events, I just want to reassure everyone that not only do we have very good plans for keeping the community safe as we’ve done year in and year out, but our officers are always prepared,” Koren said. “And we ask our community to continue to report any suspicious behavior so we can continue to do well in keeping this community safe.”

Koren didn’t say Sunday how many shots were fired, only that responding officers “heard gunshots indicating multiple rounds fired.” When Koren spoke Sunday, he said officers were still processing the scene.

Neither Koren, nor Metro in a press release, provided the exact address of where the shooting happened — only that police responded to reports of gunshots in the 100 block of East Harmon.

According to poker news websites, Letzkus is a poker player.

Las Vegas Justice Court online records show that Letzkus faces 73 felony charges. He faces one count of own/possess a gun by a prohibited person, and another count of destroy or injure real or personal property of another, with a value of greater than $5,000.

The remaining 71 charges were all discharging a gun within a structure or vehicle within a prohibited area, records show.

Court records also show that Letzkus was to appear in court Monday afternoon. Another hearing was set for 8:30 a.m. Wednesday.

Letzkus remained in custody Monday, according to Clark County Detention Center records.

Contact Brett Clarkson at bclarkson@reviewjournal.com.