Busy Las Vegas Sidewalk Turns Fatal—He Says Defense, Police Say Victims Weren’t Armed

TheNevadaGlobeStaff

2 days ago

Categories: 702Times

Busy Las Vegas Sidewalk Turns Fatal—He Says Defense, Police Say Victims Weren’t Armed

Photo Courtesy: 8 News Now

A dispute ignited on social media ended in tragedy outside the iconic Bellagio fountains on the Las Vegas Strip. Forty‑one‑year‑old Manuel Ruiz walked up to a couple he knew, pulled a gun, and fired, leaving Rodney Finley, 44, and Tanisha Finley, 43, dead on a crowded sidewalk. Ruiz surrendered the next day, but claims he pulled the trigger only after fearing for his life, insisting he believed the couple was reaching for weapons, even though no arms were found on them.

Ruiz told investigators that the encounter began with verbal taunts: he said Finley fell into his personal space and made what Ruiz interpreted as an aggressive move toward his waistband. Believing a gun could be emerging, Ruiz fired first at Finley, and then again at Tanisha, after she lifted a “shiny black object” he thought was a weapon. Authorities confirm neither victim was armed, and both were struck in the head.

Bodycam and social media footage show Ruiz approaching the couple during a livestream, firing multiple shots, then fleeing the scene, discarding his hat, shirt, and handgun before catching a rideshare. Patrons and tourists on the Strip scattered in shock as the shooting erupted near the famed fountains. He later turned himself in to police in Henderson and was ordered held without bail as he awaits murder charges.

Investigators say the flashpoint may lie in an ongoing feud between Ruiz and one of the victims, both active on social media, dating back to October 2023. But just because an online squabble becomes real-world violence doesn’t automatically validate self‑defense. Did Ruiz truly perceive an imminent threat—or did he use fear as cover after making a fatal choice on a crowded sidewalk?

This incident highlights the importance of personal accountability in our discourse and actions. It’s a stark reminder: public figures and online personalities—even casual social media users—must consider how their words and provocations may spill into real life. The rule of law demands proof, not belief, and no one has the right to fire first based solely on what they think might be happening.

As Ruiz awaits his criminal complaint, the community and legal system will soberly weigh whether what he felt justified what he did—and whether millions of online quarrels can ever excuse a bullet.

Original source: Las Vegas Review‑Journal (and various local police statements).