Coroner IDs 32-year-old killed in shooting at Strip motel

A person shot dead in a Strip motel room early Monday has been identified as a 32-year-old man.

Jesse Poncelet died of a gunshot wound to the abdomen, according to the Clark County coroner’s office, which ruled his death a homicide.

Police were called to a motel on the 3900 block of Las Vegas Blvd. South just after 1 a.m., according to a Monday news release. Officers located Poncelet, who was suffering from a gunshot wound. He was taken to University Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead.

Police said Poncelet had been in a motel room with 31-year-old Bryan Contreras. An investigation determined that Contreras had a firearm that discharged and struck the man, police said. He was later arrested and booked on one count of being a prohibited person in possession of a firearm.

The Clark County district attorney’s office is reviewing the case, police said.

Contreras was released from jail Tuesday on his own recognizance, court records show.

Contact Jonah Dylan at jdylan@reviewjournal.com. Follow @TheJonahDylan on Twitter.