A $20 tip for photos with showgirls on the Las Vegas Strip allegedly sparked a violent brawl that left two tourists injured, including one who was struck more than 22 times and hit in the head with a high-heeled boot.
FOX 5 in Las Vegas reported that Jennifer Ortiz and Magdellena Romero were arrested after the Sept. 30 confrontation outside Planet Hollywood, where officers responded to reports of a fight involving women dressed in showgirl costumes.
The altercation began when two visitors from North Carolina stopped to take pictures with three women dressed as showgirls in exchange for a tip, according to an arrest report reviewed by the station.
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After paying $20, the tourists began walking away when Ortiz allegedly followed them and demanded between $60 and $180 for the photos.
Police said Ortiz repeatedly struck one of the tourists before removing her white high-heeled boot and hitting the visitor in the forehead, leaving a cut nearly 2 inches long. Investigators said surveillance footage showed the victim was struck more than 22 times.
Separate video of the chaotic confrontation shows two showgirls fighting with a man and a woman, and one of the performers pulls the woman’s hair and repeatedly punches her in the face and body.
As the camera turns toward the man, he is shirtless with blood on his face and his shirt wrapped around his left hand. He then approaches the showgirls as one continues attacking the woman.
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The man then shouts, “Hey! Get off her,” before striking one of the showgirls and pushing another to the ground as he tries to stop the attack.
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A third showgirl appears nearby but does not appear to participate in the fight. FOX 5 reported that police said she tried to break up the confrontation.
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Both tourists were treated on site but declined to go to a hospital. They later provided written statements and asked that charges be filed.
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The arrest report also detailed a separate complaint involving a man who claimed he was charged $218 for photos after agreeing to pay $60.
The man told investigators he tapped his debit card against Ortiz’s phone to complete the transaction but later discovered the higher charge. When he confronted the women, they allegedly provided a fake phone number to resolve the dispute.
Ortiz told investigators one of the tourists became aggressive and struck her first, while Romero claimed she stepped in when she saw her friend getting attacked.
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Ortiz was charged with battery and obtaining money under false pretenses involving less than $1,200, while Romero faces a battery charge. Both were booked into the Clark County Detention Center.
FOX 5 also reported that Ortiz was under a court order to stay out of trouble after a similar confrontation at the Fremont Street Experience in March.
Romero and Ortiz are scheduled to return to court Dec. 3.
