Dad’s Reaction to 11-Year-Old Stepson’s Death in Road Rage Shooting Caught on Police Bodycam Footage: ‘My Kid Is Dead’

Bodycam video from Nevada captured a father’s raw, gut-wrenching reaction moments after his 11-year-old stepson was shot and killed in what police say was a road rage incident.

Footage released by the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department shows Valente Ayala beside his vehicle on a Henderson highway shortly after the shooting. Overcome with shock and grief, he screams that his child is gone, pointing toward the car where the boy had been sitting.

Officers in the video also detain the suspect, identified as Tyler Matthew Johns. As he is placed in handcuffs, he appears to admit responsibility.

“We were road-raging,” he says. “It’s 100 percent my fault. I shot at him, dude. I didn’t even know he had a kid in the car.”

At one point, Ayala collapses onto his back on the pavement. An officer kneels beside him and takes his hand in an effort to comfort him.

Police outlined the events during a Nov. 14 press conference. According to the Henderson Police Department, the shooting happened around 7:30 a.m. as Ayala drove his stepson, Brandon Dominguez, to school. Investigators say the two drivers got into a verbal confrontation after one vehicle tried to pass the other using the shoulder.

Authorities say the suspect then fired a single handgun shot into Ayala’s vehicle, striking Dominguez in the back seat. Police say Ayala responded by ramming the suspect’s car. Both vehicles came to a stop in the middle of the freeway, where the two men exited and continued what officers described as a heated exchange.

After a passerby flagged down law enforcement, Johns was taken into custody and booked into the Henderson Detention Center on $20,000 bond. Court records show he faces a count of open murder with a deadly weapon enhancement, along with two weapons charges.

Dominguez was rushed to a nearby hospital, but despite lifesaving efforts, he died from his injuries.

Family members described the boy in a GoFundMe fundraiser created to support his mother, Rubi Chavarria.

“Brandon was the light of our family — our happy, loving boy with the biggest heart, the silliest personality, and a joy that filled every room he entered,” they wrote. “Whether he was laughing, sharing stories, or simply sitting close, Brandon made every moment feel special. He had dreams, hopes, and a future we were so excited to watch him grow into.”

In a statement shared on its Facebook page, authorities called the shooting a senseless act and urged drivers to stay calm behind the wheel, especially as the holidays approach.

“Tonight, we’re asking our community to slow down, stay patient, and show restraint behind the wheel,” the statement said. “As we enter the holiday season, we often see an increase in crashes and dangerous driving behaviors across the valley — but tragedies like this are preventable. It starts with all of us.”