In the late hours of March 13, 2021, a burst of gunfire shattered the night in Reno, Nevada, leaving 20-year-old Hispanic male Adrian Rios fatally wounded. The incident occurred around 11 p.m. near the intersection of Hubbard Way and South Virginia Street. When Reno Police Department officers arrived at the scene, they discovered Rios suffering from multiple gunshot wounds.
He was rushed to Renown Regional Medical Center, but tragically, his life could not be saved, and he was pronounced dead shortly after his arrival.
The investigation into the shooting moved swiftly, and within a day, authorities had their first suspect in custody. On March 14, 2021, police arrested 19-year-old Fabian Bernal. He was charged with open murder and firing a gun from a vehicle. The case continued to develop quickly, and just two days later, on March 16, a second suspect, 18-year-old Yahir Bernal-Rodriguez, was apprehended. He faced charges of murder with the use of a deadly weapon and shooting into an occupied vehicle.
The motive behind the violent act was determined to be rooted in a perceived slight and gang affiliations. The events of that fateful night began at a liquor store where Rios and a passenger, Martin Montoya, arrived in a vehicle. Inside the store, Montoya, who was wearing the color of a rival gang, encountered Fabian Bernal. Although no confrontation occurred inside, an exchange of "mad-dogging," or aggressive staring, took place outside between Montoya and the Bernal brothers. This perceived disrespect triggered the ensuing violence. Fabian and Yahir Bernal-Rodriguez, who was a member of the South Side Locos gang, pursued Rios's vehicle. They concealed their weapons, approached the car, and unleashed a volley of fifteen shots, ambushing Rios and his passenger.
The legal process culminated in the conviction of both brothers. Fabian Bernal and Yahir Bernal-Rodriguez were found guilty of first-degree murder with the use of a deadly weapon, attempted murder, and discharging a firearm into an occupied vehicle. For their roles in the death of Adrian Rios, both men were sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole after 20 years.
