On July 28, 2025, a man opened fire outside the northwest valet of the Grand Sierra Resort in Reno, Nevada, killing three men and injuring four other men before being shot by police and taken into custody.[1][2]
The Grand Sierra Resort is a hotel and casino located approximately 3 miles (5 kilometers) east of Downtown Reno, Nevada, United States. The hotel has 1,990 guest rooms and a casino.[3][4] It is owned and operated by Meruelo Enterprises.
The shooting happened more than a year after another incident at the same resort, where two men shot another man to death in January 2024.[5]
Shooting
According to police, a volley of gunfire was reported at approximately 7:25a.m. PDT (UTC–7) with officers arriving four minutes later and engaging in a shootout with the suspect.[6] The suspect was seen pacing in the parking lot of the resort for about 45 minutes before the shooting. He initially attempted to open fire on a group of men in the valet area, but his gun jammed, so he cleared it and began firing several shots, killing two and injuring three, before moving to the parking lot and fatally shooting a person driving his car. At least one patrol car was hit by bullets.[7] The gunman was shot by police and was transported to hospital in critical condition.[1] A law enforcement official said the gunman's motive is still unknown, and investigators are speaking to him. The victims do not appear to be connected. The Renown Regional Medical Center, a local hospital, said its emergency department received several patients with gunshot wounds.[8] Hawver died from his injuries in the hospital during the overnight hours of July 31, 2025, as announced by the Sparks Police Department.[9]
Victims
All the victims are men, with six of the seven victims being identified as residents from Ventura County, California, and four of which being 2010 graduates at Thousand Oaks High School in Thousand Oaks, California.[10][11] The suspect killed three men and injured four other men, including a police officer injured by glass fragments. Two of the male victims were pronounced dead at the scene; another died from his injuries at a hospital.[7] The victims were identified by the Sparks Police Department as 33-year-old Justin Aguila, 33-year-old Andrew Canepa, and 66-year-old Angel Martinez.[12] The three other men were transported in critical condition, including the perpetrator, while the other male victim transported to the hospital was released.[13] Both 33-year-olds were SoCal residents and were shot from behind while waiting in the valet area for a ride to Reno-Tahoe International Airport after a bachelor party.[14]
Perpetrator
The perpetrator was identified as 26-year-old Dakota Hawver (1999 – July 31, 2025), a local resident. Hawver was allegedly armed with a 9 mm caliberhandgun and fired at least 80 rounds while using multiple magazines. Hawver legally purchased the firearm in 2023 and purchased ammunition around a short time prior to the shooting. Hawver has no criminal record or any known mental health issues.[12] At the time of the shooting, Hawver resided about 0.5 miles (2,600ft) away from Grand Sierra Resort, located across Interstate 580.[15]
Hawver's ex-girlfriend, whose relationship with Hawver ended in 2021, spoke in an audio-recorded conversation released by Reno's NBC affiliate KRNV-TV. She said that Hawver had been "incredibly aggressive" as the reason for their separation, and offered insight into his character, describing Hawver as "really aggressive, narcissistic, very mean and racist."[16] Court documents revealed that Hawver had recently been ordered to pay $582 per month in child support prior to the shooting.[17]
Aftermath
The resort entrance and valet were closed and guests were allowed to leave from a different exit.[8]
Reactions
Reno council member Devon Reese called the incident "yet another act of senseless gun violence", saying in a social media post "My heart breaks for the victims, their families, and our entire community. Reno is strong — but we are not immune to the epidemic of gun violence gripping this nation".[8] Grand Sierra Resort condemned the shooting saying "We are heartbroken by the senseless violence that occurred in our parking area earlier today. Our thoughts are with the victims and all those affected by this tragic incident" and adding that it was fully cooperating with the investigation of the shooting.[1]
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