LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — An 11-year-old boy was shot to death in his stepfather’s car during a freeway road rage incident that brought traffic to a halt Friday morning.
“This child was on his way to school today, and lives have been changed dramatically,” Henderson Police Chief Reggie Rader said during a news conference hours after the shooting.
The incident happened on the 215 westbound near Gibson Road around 7:30 a.m., when two vehicles engaged in a road-rage exchange.
“They began jockeying for positions, trying to pass each other on the congested freeway. One vehicle tried to pass the other vehicle on the shoulder, and at this time, both occupants of the vehicles rolled down their windows and got into a verbal exchange,” Rader said.
The 22-year-old suspect pulled a handgun and shot into the other vehicle, striking the 11-year-old boy in the backseat, police said.
Following the shooting, the boy’s stepfather rammed the suspect’s vehicle, causing them both to come to a stop on the freeway, where they got into an argument. A passing Las Vegas Metropolitan patrol unit stopped and arrested the suspect.
The child was transported to a local hospital, where he died from his injuries. The suspect was arrested for open murder and discharging a firearm into a vehicle.
“I just want to remind everybody we lost a life today that we didn’t have to lose,” Rader said.”
The 215 westbound lanes near Gibson Road were closed until about 1:45 p.m.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.