Police name the suspect and victims in fatal shootings Monday outside Reno casino

Dakota Hawver was armed with a 9mm handgun and fired approximately 80 rounds, using multiple magazines. He bought the gun legally two years ago and the ammunition recently, police said, adding that they don’t know his motive.

By Dave Mason | The Center Square

Published: July 30, 2025 11:05pm

(The Center Square) -

Police have identified the three people who were killed during shootings Monday outside a Reno casino, as well as the suspect.

The suspect is Dakota Hawver, a 26-year-old Reno resident, who remains in critical condition in a hospital after Reno police officers shot him during an exchange of gunfire, according to the Sparks Police Department, the lead agency in the investigation.

Hawver was armed with a 9mm handgun and fired approximately 80 rounds, using multiple magazines, Sparks police said in a news release posted on Facebook. He bought the gun legally two years ago and the ammunition recently, police said.

Hawver doesn’t have a criminal record or a history of mental health issues, according to Sparks police.

The people who died include two 33-year-old Southern California residents - Andrew Canepa, who co-owned the Side Street Café in the Newbury Park area of Thousand Oaks, and Justin Aguila. The third person was Angel Martinez, 66, who lived in the Reno/Sparks area.

GoFundMe pages have raised thousands of dollars for the victims’ family members. There are pages for the families of Martinez, Aguila and Canepa, as well as one for Canepa's 6-year-old son Kayden.

Canepa and Aguila were in Reno for a bachelor party with several friends and were shot from behind while waiting in the Grand Sierra Resort’s valet area for a ride to nearby Reno-Tahoe International Airport, said the Sparks Police Department.

“Martinez was driving his vehicle through the parking lot away from the building when he was ambushed by the suspect, who was hiding behind another vehicle in the parking lot, before shooting at Martinez several times,” Sparks police said.

Police said they found no connections between Hawver and the victims and that they don’t know Hawver’s motive.

Police said they would not release the names of two victims who remain in the hospital but are expected to make a full recovery. Another victim who was taken to the hospital was released on Monday.