Police: Reno's Montage shooter is dead; resident recounts hiding until police arrived

Editor's note: This is a breaking news story and is being updated as new details are learned. 

Final update, 11:16 p.m.:

Gunfire rained down onto Sierra Street from the eighth floor of The Montage condominiums in downtown Reno on Tuesday night.  The shooter also barricaded himself and a hostage inside an apartment. 

That suspect died shortly after being taken into custody after an RPD and Washoe County Sheriff’s Office SWAT team breached the room.  RPD Deputy Police Chief Tom Robinson said the suspect’s motive is unclear at this time. 

It's unknown if the suspect was shooting at anything or anyone in particular but Robinson said there is one injury related to the incident.  The woman who’d been held hostage has no reported injuries. 

“She’s obviously traumatized and shaken up,” he said. 

Robinson couldn’t confirm the exact make and model of the gun the suspect used, but he said it was a shoulder-fired rifle with 20 to 50 rounds of ammunition. 

The suspect fired bursts of five to eight shots at a time, with gaps between bursts lasting minutes. 

Officers said gunfire came from the building for roughly a 30 minute period.  Dozens of police and emergency vehicles filled the blocks surrounding the Montage. 

Officers in the intersection of Fourth and Sierra streets were barricaded behind their vehicles, assault rifles drawn. 

As of now, it can only be confirmed that the suspect was firing at Sierra Street.  Robinson said officers on the ground at the time of the shooting saw “sparks and spatter” coming off the asphalt as bullets struck the ground. 

He said investigators will check the surrounding areas and buildings for signs of additional bullet holes. 

Vick Wowo, a resident who lives near the top of The Montage, heard gunshots and a loud bang vibrate through the building. 

“I was the most shook when I heard the gunshots,” Wowo said. “ I don’t have a gun, don’t own a gun, never shot a gun so hearing that four times was kind of nerve wracking. 

He told his girlfriend Becky Moser to hide in the closet while he hid behind the couch and peeked out the windows facing the Whitney Peak Hotel. 

From his condominium, he could see three police snipers on the hotel roof, pointing down toward the eighth floor.  Knowing they were ten floors above the shooter made them feel a little safer, he said. 

“To be honest, the most comforting element was being made aware through the intercom system,” he said. 

Montage security sent a message to all residents telling them to stay in their units or avoid the building.  Wowo said his biggest fear was multiple shooters, but since the chaos ended, he feels relieved. 

“We’re not nearly as shook as we should’ve been,” he said. “ But, I think we’re almost numb to it even when it’s right in your damn building. …  Back to business, you know.  Just hanging out watching TV now.” 

As the SWAT team worked its way up to the eighth floor, it evacuated as many of the residents it could but many were told to shelter in place. 

Jill Flanzraich lives on the eighth floor of the Montage.  She first heard gunshots when she was watching TV. 

“Foolishly, I opened the door.  The SWAT team was there and told me to get back inside,” said Flanzraich in an interview with the RGJ. 

She spent the next hour hiding in a closet in her bathrobe talking with her daughter on the phone. 

At about 8:20 p.m. there was a loud explosion and the fire alarms went off, Flanzraich said. 

Flanzraich said she questioned whether she should leave her apartment but worried the shooter might be out there. 

But then a police officer banged on her door and said, “Get out.  Get out.  Get out.” 

The police officer walked her through a smoke-filled hallway and down the stairs. 

Flanzraich made it to the lobby where she joined the other residents who had been evacuated. 

Karl Fiebiger, a seventh-floor resident of The Montage, quickly evacuated his condominium after police told him they had secured the seventh, ninth and ground floor of the tower.  Police told him the shooter was on the eighth floor and they worried stray bullets could penetrate windows and floors. 

“Honestly I knew the shooter was close, I could feel the windows vibrate, I could hear things falling from walls,” Fiebiger told the RGJ. “ So I was pretty glad to evacuate because I knew I wasn’t in the safest situation if bullets started flying.” 

He grabbed shoes, a jacket, his laptop and a photo of his parents, then headed for the elevator.  He reached his car in the parking garage and drove to a friend’s house in south Reno. 

“I just hope I can get back in tonight,” he said after reports came in that the suspect was in police custody. “ No reason not to sleep in my own bed. …  It’s my bed, I’m not going to get chased out of it.” 

Fiebiger said he feels more anxious than scared and it took a while for the reality of the situation to set in. 

“I guess this is the country we live in now,” he said. 

Robinson said little is known about the suspect or his hostage, but described him as being in his mid-to-late 20s. 

It's also unclear whether they were residents of the Montage. 

Mike Pavicich, in town on business from Las Vegas, was walking down Fourth Street in front of the Eldorado when shots first rang out. 

Pavicich's wife was a nurse who was called in to work after Stephen Paddock, 64, opened fire on a music festival from the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay Casino. 

"When you heard it's coming from above it reminds you of the guy shooting from Mandalay Bay ... it's scary you know?  This is the same kind of town," Pavicich said. 

Paddock, who owned a home and briefly lived in Reno with his girlfriend Marilou Danley, also owned a condo at The Montage until December 2016. 

Robinson said police don't yet know if this was a copycat incident of the Las Vegas shooting, but he said officers suspect that mental issues might have contributed to the shooting. 

He said radio chatter during the incident suggested that the suspect may have been seeing things. 

"It's too soon to know for sure," Robinson said. " Maybe it's a little bit of everything." 

9:54 update:

Vick Wowo, an 18th-floor resident of The Montage, heard gunshots and a loud bang vibrate through the building. 

“I was the most shook when I heard the gunshots,” Wowo said. “ I don’t have a gun, don’t own a gun, never shot a gun so hearing that four times was kind of nerve wracking. 

He told his girlfriend Becky Moser to hide in the closet while he hid behind the couch and peeked out the windows facing the Whitney Peak Hotel. 

From his condominium, he could see three police snipers on the hotel roof, pointing down toward the eighth floor.  Knowing they were ten floors above the shooter made them feel a little safer, he said. 

“To be honest, the most comforting element was being made aware through the intercom system,” he said. 

Montage security sent a message to all residents telling them to stay in their units or avoid the building.  Wowo said his biggest fear was multiple shooters, but since the chaos ended, he feels relieved. 

“We’re not nearly as shook as we should’ve been,” he said. “ But, I think we’re almost numb to it even when it’s right in your damn building. …  Back to business, you know.  Just hanging out watching TV now.” 

Karl Fiebiger, a seventh-floor resident of The Montage, quickly evacuated his condominium after police told him they had secured the seventh, ninth and ground floor of the tower.  Police told him the shooter was on the eighth floor and they worried stray bullets could penetrate windows and floors. 

For about fifteen minutes, Fiebiger said he heard multiple gunshots inside the building and saw broken glass and windows. 

“Honestly I knew the shooter was close, I could feel the windows vibrate, I could hear things falling from walls,” Fiebiger told the RGJ. “ So I was pretty glad to evacuate because I knew I wasn’t in the safest situation if bullets started flying.” 

He grabbed shoes, a jacket, his laptop and a photo of his parents, then headed for the elevator.  He reached his car in the parking garage and drove to a friend’s house in south Reno. 

“I just hope I can get back in tonight,” he said after reports came in that the suspect was in police custody. “ No reason not to sleep in my own bed. …  It’s my bed, I’m not going to get chased out of it.” 

Fiebiger said he feels more anxious than scared and it took a while for the reality of the situation to set in. 

“I guess this is the country we live in now,” he said. 

9 p.m. update: Deputy Police Chief Tom Robinson said the shooter is dead. 

8:45 p.m. update: Before the shooter was taken into custody, he had been firing from an east-facing window of the Montage apartment complex onto Sierra Street below. 

It's unclear if the suspect was shooting at anything or anyone but he had barricaded himself in the 8th floor apartment with a woman that officers are considering a hostage. 

The woman is uninjured, but the suspect was shot.  Officers from RPD and Washoe County breached the apartment.  Aside from the suspect, Robison said at least one other person has been injured in the hand. 

Robison said little is known about the suspect or his hostage, but described him as being in his mid-to-late 20s. 

It's also unclear if they were residents of the montage. 

Residents inside the montage at the time of the shooting were advised to shelter in place. 

He did say that mental issues may have been a factor.  Radio chatter during the incident alluded that the suspect may have been seeing things. 

Jill Flanzraich lives on the 8th floor of the Montage.  She first heard gunshots when she was watching TV. 

“Foolishly, I opened the door.  The SWAT team was there and told me to get back inside,” said Flanzraich in an interview with the RGJ. 

She spent the next hour hiding in a closet in her bathrobe talking with her daughter on the phone. 

At about 8:20 there was a loud explosion and the fire alarms went off, Flanzraich said. 

Flanzraich said she questioned whether she should leave her apartment but worried the shooter might be out there. 

But then a police officer banged on her door and said, “Get out.  Get out.  Get out.” 

The police officer walked her through a smoke-filled hallway and down the stairs. 



Flanzraich made it to the lobby where she joined the other residents who had been evacuated. 

8:31 p.m. update: Deputy Chief Tom Robinson of the Reno Police said a team of officers went to the 8th floor of the apartment building to engage the shooter. 

Robinson said the shooter is a young adult.  He said he doesn't think the shooter suffered life-threatening injuries. 

Residents were evacuated while others sheltered in place, Robinson said.  It may take some time to get residents back into their rooms. 

Police will keep roads closed in downtown area for the time being. 

8:30 p.m. update : Police said the suspect has been detained. 

8:15 update: Dusty Wunderlich, a resident of the Montage in downtown Reno, said he started hearing shots being fired when he got home. 

He said the sound of shots being fired has been "sporadic over the last 30 minutes." 

"I am alone," he said in a text message. " I have my lights turned off and listening to the scanner.  I am armed which gives some peace of mind.  It’s intense when the shots go off but trying to keep a level head." 

Wunderlich said he heard shots fired around 6:45 p.m.

8 p.m. update:

A suspect is barricaded inside the Montage.  A SWAT team is staging. 

LIVE VIDEO FROM THE SCENE

7:52 p.m. update:

Officers are staying behind their vehicles facing towards the Montage apartment building with assault weapons drawn in the intersection of Fourth and Sierra Streets. 

Mike Pavicich, in town on business from Las Vegas, was walking down fourth in front of the Eldorado when he heard gunshots ring out. 

He said he ran into Frank Korshoff near the intersection of Sierra and fourth.  Frank had been on top of the Eldorado's garage when shots rang out. 

"When you heard it's coming from above it reminds you of the guy shooting from Mandalay Bay ... it's scary you know?  This is the same kind of town," Pavicich said. 

Pavicich 's wife was a nurse who was called in the night of the Vegas shooting. 

He was waiting to meet a friend to go climbing.  He looked over the edge of the garage and saw officers with rifles drawn heading towards the Montage.  He was ushered out of the garage and has been sheltering at the Eldorado since. 

Original story:

There's an active shooter in the montage apartments.  Trooper Chris Kelley with The Nevada Highway Patrol said shots have been heard from the apartment complex for the last 20 minutes. 

Dozens of police cars are surrounding the complex with ambulances and swat vehicles.