Alleged Carson City Shooter Arrested with High-Powered Rifle: What Really Happened?

On Sunday, a 46-year-old man named Nathan Kelly was arrested by the Carson City Sheriff’s Office after allegedly firing bullets into a neighbor’s apartment and a Carson Street business. The incident occurred at around 3:43 a.m., and Kelly was initially contacted by CCSO after a passerby reported seeing him standing on the corner of Carson and Musser streets with a high-powered rifle, screaming into the air.

Upon contacting Kelly, deputies learned that he suffered from a mental health condition and had consumed six alcoholic beverages. The rifle used in the incident, an AR10 .308-caliber with a long-range scope, activated green dot, and loaded magazine with a round in the chamber and the safety off, was recovered by deputies. Kelly’s breathalyzer test indicated a .174 blood alcohol level and deputies also found green residue on his tongue. Kelly later admitted to smoking marijuana.

As part of their investigation, CCSO reviewed surveillance footage from the Valero gas station at 1360 S. Carson St., which showed footage of Kelly walking in front of the doors with a high-powered rifle around 3:10 a.m. A search of Kelly’s apartment resulted in the discovery of five handguns, a .45-caliber rifle, and a Mossberg shotgun. During the search, a neighbor living below Kelly’s apartment reported finding a hole in their living room ceiling caused by one of the bullets fired downward from Kelly’s apartment that morning. Deputies concluded that this hole was caused by one of the bullets fired during the incident on Sunday morning.

Anyone with information related to this case is encouraged to contact CCSO Sgt