HENDERSON (KTNV) — An 11-year-old child is dead after a road rage shooting on the freeway in Henderson Friday morning, Henderson Police Chief Reggie Rader confirms.
Rader says a 22-year-old man is in custody in connection with the shooting and will be booked into the Henderson Detention Center for open murder with a deadly weapon and discharging a firearm into an occupied vehicle.
🔴 BREAKING UPDATE 🔴 Henderson Police Chief Reggie Rader shares the latest details on the investigation:
As of 9:06 a.m., westbound lanes of Gibson Road were closed in the area, and Rader says the closure is expected to remain in place for a "long time," adding that investigators will keep the road closed as long as it takes to build their case against the accused shooter.
The ongoing investigation is also impeding traffic at the US 95/I-11 interchange to westbound 215.
Police say the shooting happened at approximately 7:30 a.m. on the 215 freeway near Gibson Road. Speaking publicly about the investigation, Rader said two drivers were "jockeying for position" while merging onto the 215 from US 95/I-11 northbound.
One driver tried to pass another on the shoulder of the freeway before they both rolled down their windows and had a "heated exchange," Rader said. During that altercation, Rader says the suspect pulled out a firearm and fired one shot into the other car, hitting an 11-year-old sitting in the back seat.
The child's stepfather then rammed the other car, and both vehicles came to a stop on the freeway, Rader said. Both drivers got out and continued to fight before a witness flagged down a passing Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department officer, who took the suspect into custody.
Despite the efforts of Henderson Fire Department first responders and medical staff at University Medical Center, the child died from his injuries, the police chief added.
Rader noted that the 11-year-old was being driven to school before the shooting.
"It's no secret that our roadways can get congested, and we're doing improvement projects to try to ease that burden, but what I need is for everyone to have an appreciation for the sanctity of life," Rader said.
"My plea to the community is to slow down," he added. "You will eventually get there, and let's get there safely."
In a previous statement, Henderson Police said there is no danger to the public at this time.
"We advise the public to avoid the area and use alternate routes," a Henderson spokesperson stated.