11-year-old killed on way to school in road rage shooting in Nevada: Police
An 11-year-old boy was killed in a road rage incident in Henderson, Nevada, after two drivers got into a heated exchange along the freeway and one fired into the other vehicle, according to police.
"We lost a life today that we didn't have to lose," Henderson Police Department Chief Reggie Rader said during a press conference on Friday.
At approximately 7:30 a.m. on Friday, two vehicles in traffic began "jockeying for positions trying to pass each other on the congested freeway," police said during a press conference on Friday.
One of the vehicles tried to pass on the shoulder of the freeway, which is when both drivers rolled down their windows and began arguing, police said.
A 22-year-old suspect in a four-door sedan allegedly fired a single shot from a handgun at a hybrid SUV driven by the victim's stepfather -- hitting the 11-year-old sitting in the back seat, police said.
The boy, who was not identified by officials, was on his way to school, police said.
The victim's stepfather then rammed the suspect's vehicle, causing both of them to come to a stop in the middle of the freeway, police said.
Both drivers got out of their vehicles and proceeded to get into a heated exchange as a Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department officer happened to be driving by, officials said. The officer took the suspect into custody and the firearm was recovered, police said.
Shortly after the suspect was taken into custody, the Henderson Fire Department arrived at the scene and transported the child to a local hospital, but "despite their best efforts," the child succumbed to his injuries, police said.
The suspect was being booked for open murder and discharging a firearm at a vehicle, police said, calling the shooting a "senseless act."
After the suspect's booking is complete, officials will release his information and photo, police said.
"I need everyone to be patient on our roadways. We have an obligation to look out for each other," Rader said. "It's not worth it to engage in this type of behavior on either party."
The freeway where the shooting occurred will be closed "for a long time," police said, urging the public to have an "appreciation for the sanctity of life."
"I don't know why people are impatient, but my ask, my plea of the community, especially as we enter these holiday seasons, is to slow down. You will eventually get there, and let's get there safely," Rader said.
