Carth Onasi Jacobs-Rodgers was a smart, brave, and strong-willed 15-year-old boy who was fiercely loyal to his family and friends. A sophomore at Desert Pines High School in Las Vegas, Nevada, Carth, who went by Carth Onasi, was the oldest of nine siblings. His family remembered him as having a big heart and a goofy laugh that was so infectious you couldn't help but laugh along with him. He loved his sisters and little brother, boxing, basketball, and playing video games.
His unique first and middle names were inspired by a character from a Star Wars video game his mother's husband enjoyed playing. His mother, Tara Mesaric-Rodgers, said his loyalty was the reason he didn't come home on the night he was killed. "He was loyal to family and friends," she said, "so loyal it is why he didn’t come home that night and why he will never come home to us again.”
On the night of Friday, October 2, 2026, Carth was at the popular First Friday festival in the downtown Las Vegas Arts District. Around 10:17 p.m., Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department officers patrolling the event heard gunshots near the intersection of South Main Street and West Charleston Boulevard. According to police, a physical altercation had broken out among a group of people. During the fight, one male pulled out a firearm and began shooting into the crowd, striking three people before fleeing the scene. Officers rushed toward the chaos and found two people with gunshot wounds, and then located a third victim.
All three victims, including Carth, were transported to University Medical Center. The two other teenagers survived with non-life-threatening injuries, but Carth was pronounced dead at the hospital from his wounds. His mother said her son's friends needed him that night, and "he was not going to leave them to fend for themselves." She described it as a "wrong place wrong time" situation and did not know what started the fight. "He did not deserve this," she said. "We all miss him more than words can describe and love him more than he will ever know."
The investigation was handled by the LVMPD Homicide Section. Detectives used high-definition surveillance video from businesses in the Arts District and cellphone videos from bystanders to identify a suspect. On October 5, police arrested a 17-year-old male, later identified as Issac Manriquez, in connection with the shooting. He was booked into the Clark County Juvenile Detention Center on one count of open murder with a deadly weapon and two counts of attempted murder with a deadly weapon. According to a police report, the shooting was gang-related, and Manriquez confessed to the crime after his arrest, stating that two gangs had "banged on each other" at the event. Police said Manriquez left his wallet at the scene, which aided in his identification.
Prosecutors moved to have Manriquez's case transferred to the adult court system. A judge ordered him to be held without bail. As of October 2026, the case was proceeding in adult court, where Manriquez faced charges of open murder and attempted murder. In the wake of the shooting, the monthly First Friday event was paused so organizers could work with the city and police to reevaluate safety protocols, with officials considering measures like weapon screening, restricted access, and enhanced curfews.
On the Monday following the shooting, dozens of family members, friends, and classmates gathered for an emotional candlelight vigil at the corner where Carth was shot. They brought candles to honor and remember the beloved teenager. Carth's mother, Cara Jacobs, organized a GoFundMe campaign to help the family with funeral costs, burial, and other expenses as they navigated their devastating loss. In her appeal, she wrote, "Since losing Carth Onasi Jacobs-Rodgers, my family cannot sleep, is highly depressed, and feels unable to function day to day. This grief has affected every part of our lives." The case remained in litigation as of October 2026. Anyone with information was asked to contact the LVMPD Homicide Section at 702-828-3521 or Crime Stoppers at 702-385-5555 to remain anonymous.
