A 15-year-old boy is being remembered this week after he was shot and killed Friday night at the First Friday arts event in downtown Las Vegas. Family members identified him as Carth Onasi Jacobs-Rodgers, a Desert Pines High School sophomore and the oldest of nine siblings. Police say a fight broke out near South Main Street and West Charleston Boulevard before an unknown male fired into the crowd and fled. Two other victims were hospitalized with injuries that were not life-threatening.
Carth’s stepmother shared a statement describing a teenager with a big heart, goofy in the way that makes an entire room laugh along with him. “He is loved by many and will be missed by all of us,” she wrote. The family has set up an online fundraiser to cover funeral costs, and Las Vegas police are still searching for the shooter. Detectives are asking anyone with information to come forward.
The shooting has stirred familiar questions about safety at public gatherings, and it hits close to home for any community that hosts street festivals, waterfront concerts, or weekend arts walks. Whether it’s downtown Sarasota or a beachside market on the Suncoast, a night out with family shouldn’t carry this kind of risk. If you’ve talked with your kids about staying safe at big events, what do you tell them? Share your thoughts with us.
