The fatal encounter on the Las Vegas Strip, which culminated in the deaths of two YouTube creators, was laid bare in footage from a body-worn camera released by law enforcement. Rodney Finley, 44, and his wife, Tanisha, 34, were shot and killed on June 9 in front of the Bellagio Hotel & Casino just before the clock struck 11 p.m. A video obtained by FOX5 shows the critical moments as officers and emergency medical technicians scrambled to save Rodney Finley, as they attempted life-saving measures and performed compressions in a desperate effort to resuscitate.
The shooter, identified as 41-year-old Manuel Ruiz, is reported to have had a feud with the Finleys, who were also active creators on YouTube. According to details shared by KTNV, the dispute between the content creators likely stemmed from prior altercations dating back to at least October 2023. The palpable tension escalated into a live-streamed confrontation that ended in gunfire.
As reported by FOX5, in a video covering the period from 10:41 p.m. to 11:09 p.m., officers displayed urgency and a determination to save lives amid chaos. One officer, captured in the video, kept imploring Rodney to "Stay with me" repeatedly, maintaining solace in the face of despair. In a grim update, an EMT could be overheard saying, "Still no pulse," signifying the fleeting hope for Rodney's survival.
Ruiz, who has since turned himself in and remains in custody at the Clark County Detention Center, claimed the shooting was in self-defense. He reported to the police that Rodney had aggressively reached for his waistband, and he believed Tanisha was armed with a shiny black object, prompting his lethal response. Despite Ruiz's claims, he now faces two counts of open murder with a deadly weapon and is set to have a court status check on July 3. Concurrently, Clark County District Attorney Steve Wolfson revealed that prosecutors are pondering the death penalty in this double homicide case.
