A Nevada man has been denied bail following charges related to the tragic shooting of an 11-year-old boy during a road rage confrontation. The incident has left the community in shock and mourning.

Tyler Matthew Johns, 22, faced the court via Zoom on Saturday, shortly after his arrest linked to a road rage event on the 215 Beltway in Las Vegas the previous Friday. He faces multiple charges, including open murder, firing a weapon from a vehicle in a restricted area, and shooting into an occupied vehicle. According to the Henderson Police Department, Johns engaged in a verbal dispute with another driver, who was transporting his 11-year-old stepson to school that morning.

During a press conference on Friday, Henderson Police Chief Reggie Rader said that around 7:30 a.m. that day, two drivers on the westbound 215 Beltway were “jockeying for positions, trying to pass each other on the congested freeway.” One of them tried to pass the other using the shoulder, at which point the drivers “rolled down their windows and got into a verbal exchange.”

During the altercation, Johns is accused of drawing a handgun and firing into the other vehicle, tragically striking the young boy seated in the back. The victim’s identity, as well as that of his stepfather, remains undisclosed to the public.

In the aftermath of the alleged shooting, the boy’s stepfather reportedly collided with Johns’ vehicle, leading both cars to halt in the middle of the freeway. A tense confrontation ensued between the two men. Fortunately, a Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department officer happened to be nearby and was signaled to intervene. The officer subsequently detained Johns.

The young boy was rushed to the hospital, where, sadly, he succumbed to his injuries, leaving a community in grief.

At the press conference, Rader said, “I just want to remind everybody that we lost a life today that we didn’t have to lose. An 11-year-old was on his way to school and this senseless act took his life. I need everybody to be patient on our roadways. We have an obligation to look out for each other.”

He added, “It is not worth it to engage in this type of behavior.”

Johns was denied bail during his court appearance on Saturday and remains in custody. He is due back in court on Tuesday.