McKenzie Scott should have received her diploma from Arbor View High School in Las Vegas with the class of 2025, but her life was cut short before graduation. Scott arrived at the high school on May 2, 2025, for her senior walk along with her classmates. Tragically, a drunk driver plowed into the 18-year-old as she was crossing the street to retrieve her cap and gown. Though the driver, Keenan Jackson, pleaded guilty to driving under the influence and will spend up to 20 years in prison, Scott’s life is over. Her family believes the school district and city should accept fault.
Scott reportedly died while retrieving her cap and gown.
According to court documents obtained by Law & Crime, McKenzie’s family filed a wrongful death suit against the Clark County School District and the city of Las Vegas.
“Scott was an 18-year-old high school senior at Arbor View High School,” according to the complaint. “She was scheduled to participate in the school’s ‘Senior Walk’ ceremony that day. Due to insufficient on-campus parking … the school had instructed students via email dated April 9, 2025, to park their vehicles on North Buffalo Drive.”
The teenager parked where the school instructed her to, and when she went out to the car later in the day to retrieve her cap and gown, Jackson hit her. Scott died of injuries received in the accident.
If she’d parked in the school parking lot, she might still be alive.
— CCSD (@ClarkCountySch) May 3, 2025
According to her family, Scott died because she was forced to park outside the school lot. The intersection was apparently well known as a dangerous spot, and many people complained about students parking there. The complaint alleges the school district put students in a dangerous situation and did not protect their safety, according to Law & Crime. Arbor View High School allegedly “failed to provide adequate crossing guards or other safety measures,” per the lawsuit.
Students supported Scott’s family following the crash.
According to a 2025 report by the Las Vegas Review-Journal, several students showed up for Jackson’s May 2025 bail hearing.
“It’s the beginning of May, and it’s that month where we’re looking at new beginnings for our lives,” Arbor View senior Brayden Boulter told the news outlet. “During fifth period, we heard that our grad walk got canceled out of nowhere, then the rumors started getting around about what happened. The energy we had did a complete 180.”
Boulter added that the spot where Scott died is a known issue. “You have to be very careful in that crosswalk because there’s a U-turn spot there, and there just needs to be better enforcement and better lights there. There needs to be some sort of signal or something there,” he added.
The teen will be remembered fondly by her family.
According to the complaint, McKenzie Scott was struck and killed while crossing North Buffalo Drive in a marked crosswalk on May 2, 2025.https://t.co/BXnvizh6eG
— KSNV News 3 Las Vegas (@News3LV) May 5, 2026
The 18-year-old’s obituary told the story of a girl with a bright future. Scott planned to attend the University of Nevada, Las Vegas and hoped to become a crime scene investigator.
“She enjoyed hanging out with her brother Kasen, drawing, playing video games, and spending time with her cat named Mouse. She was a great human being. The world became a better place when she was born,” her obituary reads. “She was an old soul with a big heart who brought joy, laughter, and kindness to everyone’s lives. She was a bright light in the dark who lit a path to inspire others to be their best selves. She will truly be missed.”
Her family requested a jury trial and damages exceeding $130,000, per Law & Crime. No amount of money will bring Scott back, but perhaps her death will convince someone to make the area safer for others.
