HENDERSON, NV – A 22-year-old man has been charged with murder after allegedly shooting and killing an 11-year-old boy during a road rage incident on Interstate 215 Friday morning.
Tyler Matthew Johns was arrested following the shooting that occurred around 7:30 a.m. on the interstate just outside Gibson, Nevada. The young victim was traveling to school with his stepfather when the deadly encounter took place.
According to Henderson Police Chief Reggie Rader, Johns and the boy’s stepfather were “jockeying for positions trying to pass each other” in traffic. The drivers exchanged words through their windows before Johns allegedly drew a handgun and fired into the stepfather’s SUV.
A single shot struck the child, who was sitting in the back seat.
First responders from the Henderson Fire Department rushed to the scene, and the boy was transported to University Medical Center. Despite efforts by paramedics and hospital staff to save his life, the child succumbed to his injuries.
Johns was taken into custody and charged with open murder and two gun-related offenses. He made his first court appearance Saturday and remains in custody with no bail set. His next court appearance is scheduled for Tuesday.
Chief Rader called the shooting a “senseless act” and issued a plea to the community.
“I urge the public to exercise patience on our roadways,” Rader said. “Traffic delays are preferable to tragedy or imprisonment.”
The identities of the victim and his stepfather have not been released by authorities. The investigation is ongoing, and additional charges may be filed.
The shooting has reignited concerns about the growing problem of aggressive driving and road rage incidents across the Las Vegas metropolitan area.
