A Carson City teen was identified by his family Friday as the victim of a fatal fall from a Reno casino parking garage earlier in the week.
Juan Lara confirmed that his son, 17-year-old Tlaloc "Tako" Lara, died early Wednesday morning after falling four stories from the garage at Circus Circus Casino on Virginia Street.
According to a release from the Reno Police Department, Tako was allegedly running from security when he jumped over a concrete wall and was hanging off the edge.
"The male then fell from the fourth floor while security officers were rushing to his aid," the release states.
He was taken to Renown Regional Medical Center and died a short time later.
Initially, officers did not know Tako's identity and sent out a press release describing two tattoos found on the body, one which read "Angel" and another that said "Maria."
Tako's parents in Carson City had no idea their son was dead until hours later, said his father Juan.
On Wednesday afternoon, a friend of Tako's printed out the news clipping and gave it to Juan.
He said he knew almost immediately is was his son.
"He has two tattoos, one on his shoulder that said Angel for my nephew who died two years ago and one his hand that said Maria, his mother's name," he said.
After several phone calls, and then waiting two hours for someone to call him back from the Reno Police Department, Juan said decided to just drive to Reno.
Halfway there, he said, someone called him and told him in order to identify the body, he'd need his son's ID. He said he's not sure who called him, that he wasn't thinking clearly.
Juan said he had to turn around and drive back home to get Tako's identification.
By Wednesday night the Carson City father had confirmed that it was his child that lay dead in the Washoe County morgue.
He said he hasn't yet spoke to detectives.
Repeated phone calls Wednesday, Thursday and Friday by the Nevada Appeal to the Reno Police Department were not returned.
Reached late Friday afternoon, Reno Sheriff's Sgt. Kimberly Bradshaw said she could not confirm the identity of the victim because he was a juvenile.
She also did not have readily available details on the incident, but said it remains under investigation.
Juan said he knows only what Tako's friends have told him: They were at the casino for a party where they were drinking. At midnight Tako called his mother and said he was on his way home. As he and his friends were leaving they were jumped by another group of young men.
A fight broke out, and when security was called, Tako ran.
"The security guards start chasing my son, and he went to the parking garage. When he was there he saw those guys approaching him and jumped over the wall and his hands slipped," said Juan.
Juan Lara tells the story matter-of-factly. He said he's mostly been not thinking about things too much. He's just working to arrange his son's funeral and taking care of his wife and daughters, Sonia, 22, and Maria de Jesus, 13.
"I have two daughters and my wife. I'm the head of my house. I don't want them to see me crying," he said. "I have to be strong."
A viewing Friday night will be followed by a mass at St. Teresa of Avila Catholic Church, 3000 N. Lompa Lane today.
- Contact reporter F.T. Norton at ftnorton@nevadaappeal.com or 881-1213.