Sixteen-year-old Kylee Leniz, a White female, was working at a McDonald's drive-thru in Elko, Nevada, on the evening of November 1, 2020, when her life was tragically cut short. At approximately 9:30 p.m., a man walked up to the drive-thru window and fired a single shot, striking the Elko High School student. Leniz was rushed to Northeastern Nevada Regional Hospital, where she ultimately succumbed to her injuries.
The shooting appeared to be a random act of violence, as authorities found
no connection between the victim and the perpetrator. Investigators released a surveillance image of the person of interest, who was identified as 24-year-old Justin Michael Mullis of Winnemucca, Nevada. Police described the attack as "completely senseless" and believe Mullis was angry about his life in general and took his frustrations out on the unsuspecting teenager.
The day after the shooting, an acquaintance of Mullis drove him to the Elko Police Department, where he was taken into custody following an interview with detectives. Mullis was subsequently arrested and charged with one count of open murder. He was booked into the Elko County Jail. The community of Elko mourned the loss of the well-liked teenager, creating a makeshift memorial at the McDonald's where she worked.
