Man killed by park ranger at Valley of Fire identified

Authorities have released the identity of a man killed by a ranger at Valley of Fire State Park last week.

Rafael Rodriguez-Aguayo, 38, of Las Vegas, died of multiple gunshot wounds, according to Stephanie Wheatley, a spokesperson for the Clark County coroner’s office. “Sharp force injuries of (the) neck” was another significant condition, she said. The manner of death was listed as homicide.

The shooting occurred on July 10. The park was closed until Friday.

Tyler Kerver, a spokesperson for the state parks, said the agency is waiting for the state Department of Public Safety’s investigations division to finish examining the shooting and will provide an update by Wednesday afternoon. He said the state parks would not provide any more information until it is briefed by the investigations division.

He did not answer questions requesting the identity of the ranger who shot Rodriguez-Aguayo, the circumstances of the shooting and where the shooting occurred in the park.

Kerver previously said the ranger was not wearing a body camera and that it was the first fatal shooting involving a park ranger in the agency’s history.

Contact Noble Brigham at nbrigham@reviewjournal.com. Follow @BrighamNoble on X.