LAS VEGAS, NV — A former construction worker who returned to his previous worksite armed with a rifle and began shooting at his ex-coworkers was shot and wounded in self-defense Friday morning in the northwest Las Vegas Valley, according to police.
Authorities identified the suspect as John Garcia, who now faces multiple felony charges, including attempted murder and nine counts of assault with a deadly weapon. The incident occurred around 8:10 a.m. near Deer Springs Way and Bradley Road.
According to the arrest report, Garcia had been fired more than a week before the shooting after a workplace altercation. During a dispute on April 23, Garcia allegedly threatened a coworker and his family, and later escalated the situation by retrieving a knife from his truck and threatening others. He was terminated shortly after the confrontation.
Despite securing employment at another site on the opposite side of town, Garcia returned Friday morning to the original construction site. Armed with a rifle, he opened fire on former coworkers. One of them, legally armed, returned fire, striking Garcia in the shoulder and effectively ending the attack.
The exchange was captured on surveillance video, and Garcia was later taken into custody by North Las Vegas police. Thankfully, no bystanders or workers were injured in the exchange.
In interviews with Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, Garcia claimed he was struggling to support his family and care for his children, citing personal stress and issues with coworkers as contributing factors. His wife corroborated that Garcia had been under stress, sometimes behaving irrationally while intoxicated.
Garcia is being held in custody and is scheduled to appear in court on May 20 at 10 a.m. for a preliminary hearing.
This case highlights the dangers of mixing stress, emotional instability, alcohol, and firearms. While it is understandable that individuals may go through difficult periods, resorting to violence never resolves the underlying issues. Now, Garcia’s family must face the consequences of his actions, including the loss of a primary provider due to incarceration.
Additionally, this incident illustrates a critical reality in defensive gun use: a determined attacker with a rifle can still be stopped by a legally armed individual with a handgun. Despite the perceived imbalance in firepower, responsible concealed carriers can and do successfully defend themselves in such high-stress scenarios.
