HENDERSON, Nev. — Newly released body camera footage reveals the shocking moments following a tragic shooting that claimed the life of an 11-year-old boy during a road rage confrontation. The incident occurred early on November 14 as two vehicles attempted to maneuver through heavy traffic on a congested freeway, according to local law enforcement.
Around 7:30 a.m., tensions escalated when one driver attempted to overtake another on the shoulder of the freeway. Witnesses reported that both individuals rolled down their windows to exchange heated words. Authorities say the situation quickly turned dire when a 22-year-old passenger in a sedan allegedly fired a single shot from a handgun directed at a hybrid SUV, which was being driven by the victim’s stepfather. The bullet struck Brandon Dominguez-Chavarria, who was sitting in the back seat.
At the time of the shooting, Brandon was en route to school. His stepfather reacted by colliding with the suspect’s vehicle, leading to a halted confrontation in the middle of the freeway. In the tense moments that followed, a Las Vegas Metropolitan Police officer happened to be in the vicinity and captured the chaotic scene on camera.
“My kid is dead!” the frantic stepfather can be heard shouting in the footage. The suspected shooter, identified as Tyler Matthew Johns, initially seemed disoriented as he admitted to firing the weapon. In the video, he expressed disbelief upon learning about Brandon’s presence in the vehicle, stating, “I didn’t know there was a kid in the back.”
Johns was detained by the responding officer, who recovered the firearm. As he was placed in a patrol car, Johns, appearing overwhelmed with regret, confessed, “It’s 100% my fault.” Moments later, he asked the officer if there was any hope for the boy’s survival.
Despite the immediate response from the Henderson Fire Department, which rushed Brandon to a nearby hospital, he could not be saved. Authorities labeled the shooting a “senseless act” and arrested Johns on charges of open murder and discharging a firearm into an occupied vehicle.
The Clark County Coroner confirmed Brandon’s identity and local residents quickly rallied together, launching a GoFundMe campaign in his memory. In a heart-wrenching court appearance, Brandon’s mother confronted Johns, expressing her grief and anger. “He wanted to take somebody’s life away. He took my son’s away. He was just trying to make it to school,” she said.
Johns is currently being held without bail as the community mourns the loss of a young life cut short by violence.