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An 11-year-old boy tragically lost his life in Nevada while on his way to school due to a road rage incident involving two drivers, as reported by the police.
At a press briefing on Friday, Henderson Police Chief Reggie Rader detailed that the confrontation started around 7:30 a.m. local time when one driver tried to overtake another by using the road’s shoulder.
This maneuver allegedly sparked a verbal altercation, during which the 22-year-old suspect reportedly fired a single shot into the other car, hitting the child. Following this, the driver with the child in the vehicle collided with the suspect’s car, bringing both vehicles to a halt on the freeway. Subsequently, the drivers got out of their cars and continued their dispute on foot.
Authorities have identified the suspect as Tyler Matthew Johns, 22, who is accused of the fatal shooting. (Henderson Police Department)
Johns was taken into custody on charges of open murder and firing a weapon into an occupied vehicle.
Rader identified the driver of the car with the 11-year-old victim as the boy’s stepfather. He also said that Johns was alone in his vehicle.
Despite the efforts of first responders and medical professionals, the 11-year-old boy succumbed to his injuries, the police chief said.
Henderson Police Chief Reggie Rader briefs the media after an 11-year-old was killed in a road rage incident. (Henderson Police Department)
Rader and the police department are calling on the public to “do better” and not allow traffic to get the best of them, especially as the holiday season approaches.
“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,” Rader said at a Friday news conference. “I need everybody to be patient on our roadways. We have an obligation to look out for each other.”
This file image shows police units responding to the scene of an emergency. (Getty Images)
“The holidays are coming up, and we usually have congestion and tempers run high. It is not worth it to engage in this type of behavior,” he added. “I would rather you be stuck in traffic and late for your destination than have to go to a funeral for a loved one or potentially spend the rest of your life in prison.”
In the wake of the tragic incident, Rader also called on everyone to “have an appreciation for the sanctity of life.”