Judge denies accused road rage shooter’s bail

A 22-year-old Las Vegas man was denied bail by a judge Saturday morning, less than 24 hours after police said he gunned down an 11-year-old boy during a road rage incident on a Henderson freeway.

Tyler M. Johns was denied bail by Judge Sandra Allred DiGiacomo after appearing in court by video Saturday morning, according to online Henderson Justice Court records.

Johns was arrested Friday by the Henderson Police Department on charges of open murder and two other felonies related to firing a weapon from a vehicle into another occupied vehicle.

Early-morning shooting

Police alleged that Johns fired into a vehicle and struck and killed the boy at around 7:30 a.m. on the 215 Beltway near the Stephanie Street exit in Henderson.

In a news conference Friday afternoon, Henderson Police Chief Reggie Rader said the two westbound vehicles, an SUV and a sedan, were “jockeying for position” during a “road rage incident” on the 215, trying to pass each other.

Both drivers rolled down their windows and began arguing. The driver of the sedan, later identified by police as Johns, pulled out a handgun and fired once into the backseat of the SUV, where the SUV driver’s 11-year-old stepchild was sitting, Rader said.

After the shot was fired, the SUV driver rammed his vehicle into the sedan, causing both to stop in the middle of the road, Rader said. A Metropolitan Police Department officer driving nearby was able to apprehend Johns shortly after the shooting, according to police.

Johns was booked into the Henderson Detention Center shortly after 10:30 a.m. on Friday, according to online jail records.

Despite the efforts of Henderson Fire Department personnel at the scene and staff at University Medical Center, the 11-year-old died from his injuries, police said.

“We lost a life today that we didn’t have to lose,” Rader said during his Friday press conference. “An 11-year-old was on his way to school and this senseless act took his life. I need everybody to be patient on our roadways. We have an obligation to look out for each other. It is not worth it to engage in this type of behavior.”

Johns, according to court records, is scheduled for a status check hearing on Tuesday.

Other road rage shootings in the same week

Friday’s road rage shooting is at least the third such act of violence in the span of about a week in the Las Vegas Valley.

Early Wednesday morning, according to Metro police, the driver of a pickup truck was shot at near West Russell Road and Torrey Pines Drive.

That came after, the driver told police, another vehicle struck the pickup truck and then attempted to drive off, according to Metro. When the pickup truck driver tried to follow the vehicle, he was shot at. No injuries were reported, police said.

Detectives said they were searching for an unregistered 2000 to 2007 Chevrolet Silverado in relation to that case. Police described the truck as lifted, which means it was modified to be raised higher off the ground.

On Monday, Metro police said a man was injured after he was shot while driving southbound along Interstate 11 between the Flamingo Road and Tropicana Avenue exits. That call came in just after 3:30 p.m. on Monday.

The victim was taken to a local hospital Monday afternoon to be treated for a gunshot wound and was in critical condition, police said.

Anyone with information about either of the shootings in Metro’s jurisdiction are asked to call 702-828-7815.

Henderson police ask that anyone who may have witnessed Friday’s shooting to call 702-267-5000. Anonymous tips can also be submitted through Crime Stoppers by calling 702-385-5555 or online at crimestoppersofnv.com.

Contact Bryan Horwath at bhorwath@reviewjournal.com. Follow @BryanHorwath on X.