HENDERSON, Nev. — A tragic road rage incident ended in heartbreak when an 11-year-old boy was fatally shot while riding in a vehicle on the way to school. The incident occurred on November 14, at around 7:30 a.m., as two cars vied for position on a congested freeway. Tensions escalated between the drivers, leading to a shocking act of violence.
According to the Henderson Police Department, one driver attempted to overtake the other on the shoulder of the freeway. It was during this altercation that both individuals exchanged heated words before one of them, identified as 22-year-old Tyler Matthew Johns, allegedly fired a single shot from his handgun into a hybrid SUV. The bullet struck Brandon Dominguez-Chavarria, who was seated in the back, directly impacting his life and leaving his family in devastation.
Witness accounts and body camera footage reveal the immediate chaos that followed the shooting. After the vehicles collided, both drivers exited their cars, where an officer from the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department happened to be passing by. The footage captures the harrowing moment the boy’s stepfather learns of the tragedy, exclaiming, “My kid is dead!” in a heart-wrenching display of grief.
In the footage, Johns expresses disbelief, stating, “I didn’t know there was a kid in the back.” Despite the suspect’s apparent shock, he was taken into custody shortly thereafter, with the authorities recovering the weapon used in the shooting. As he was placed in a patrol vehicle, Johns admitted, “It’s 100% my fault,” further underscoring the life-altering consequence of his actions.
Brandon was rushed to a local hospital by the Henderson Fire Department, but despite medical efforts, he succumbed to his injuries. The Clark County Coroner confirmed that the young boy was a resident of Henderson. In the wake of this tragedy, a GoFundMe page has been established in Brandon’s memory as the community rallies to support his family during this unimaginable time.
Johns now faces charges of open murder and discharging a firearm into an occupied vehicle, with law enforcement describing the incident as an “unnecessary act of violence.” In court proceedings, Brandon’s mother confronted Johns, expressing her anguish: “He took my son’s life. He was just trying to make it to school.” The accused remains in custody without bail, as the family continues to mourn the loss of a child whose life was tragically cut short.