Shooting victim in ranger's car dies

A 21-year-old man who shot himself in the head while in the back seat of a park service ranger's car at Lake Mead National Recreation Area has died.

The man was with three juveniles on Saturday evening at Boulder Beach on Lake Mead, when a ranger asked about the car the four had been driving. After running the license plate, the ranger discovered that the car was reported stolen from Las Vegas, and the ranger started following the four.

The individual walked up to the ranger's car and asked for a ride to use a telephone and got into the park service vehicle. After that, more rangers arrived at the scene and apprehended the three juveniles.

While the three were being apprehended, the man in the ranger's car pulled out a pistol he had concealed in his clothing and shot himself in the head. He was taken to University Medical Center by the Flight for Life helicopter.

The name of the victim and the ranger were not released.

The incident is under investigation by Metro Police and park investigators.

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