On September 11, 2015, 25-year-old Aaron Anderson was fatally shot outside a smoke shop in the east Las Vegas Valley. Anderson, a Black male, was one of two victims in the incident, which also claimed the life of 32-year-old Alton Bullard Jr. The shooting occurred around noon outside Bargain Smokes, located in the 5500 block of Boulder Highway near East Tropicana Avenue. When officers arrived at the scene, they found Anderson and Bullard suffering from gunshot wounds.
Anderson was pronounced dead at the scene, while Bullard was transported to Sunrise Hospital and Medical Center, where he later succumbed to his injuries.
The investigation led by the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department's homicide section revealed that Anderson and Bullard, along with an unidentified third male, were standing in front of the smoke shop when a man entered the business. Upon exiting a short time later, the man exchanged words with Anderson and Bullard before opening fire, striking both victims. The suspect then fled the scene before officers arrived. Authorities later identified the shooter as 32-year-old James Rachal. Rachal was arrested in California on unrelated charges before being taken into custody for outstanding warrants related to the 2015 homicide case.
Following his arrest, Rachal was booked into the Clark County Detention Center, where he faced multiple charges, including one count of conspiracy to commit murder and two counts of murder with a deadly weapon. The motive behind the shooting remains unknown, according to police reports. The case was a significant development in the ongoing efforts to address violent crime in the Las Vegas area.
