In the early hours of August 1, 2023, a dispute escalated into deadly violence in Reno, Nevada, claiming the life of 17-year-old Hispanic male Santiago Rodriguez. The incident unfolded around 12:25 a.m. in the 1500 block of N. Virginia Street, near the University of Nevada, Reno campus, after a fight broke out. When Reno Police officers arrived at the scene, they discovered a juvenile male with a gunshot wound. Shortly after, a second victim was located in a nearby parking lot.
Both teenagers were rushed to Renown Regional Medical Center for treatment, but tragically, both succumbed to their injuries. Rodriguez was pronounced dead shortly after his arrival. The Washoe County Regional Medical Examiner's Office later confirmed that he died from multiple gunshot wounds.
The second victim was identified as 15-year-old Manuel Garcia, who also died from multiple gunshot wounds. Investigators quickly determined that the shooting was not a random act and that the individuals involved were known to each other. The investigation led to the swift arrests of two teenage suspects. On the same day as the shooting, police apprehended 17-year-old Stefan Howard Jr. and charged him with open murder with a deadly weapon. A few days later, on August 4, a second suspect, 16-year-old Julian Hutton-Reed, was also taken into custody and faced the same charge.
The subsequent legal proceedings revealed more details about the events leading up to the fatal encounter. It was reported that the shooting was gang-related. Prior to the shooting, the two suspects were on a rooftop deck of an apartment complex with a group of people when another group, known to be rival gang members, arrived. A verbal altercation ensued, during which Hutton-Reed was allegedly handed a gun. Video surveillance captured him chasing Rodriguez down Virginia Street and shooting at him multiple times. After Rodriguez fell, Hutton-Reed fired two more fatal shots.
In a significant development in the case, Julian Hutton-Reed, who was 16 at the time of the crime, pled guilty to first-degree murder with the use of a deadly weapon, carrying a concealed firearm, and destroying evidence. He was subsequently sentenced to life in prison for the murder, with an additional consecutive sentence of 8-20 years for the use of a deadly weapon. The case against Stefan Howard, who is accused of killing Manuel Garcia, is still proceeding.
