Anthony Polito Identified as Suspect in Deadly UNLV Shooting

Accident – death – Obituary News : THE suspect in the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) shooting, which left three people dead, has been identified as Anthony Polito, a 67-year-old college professor. Polito was killed by officers following reports of shots fired on the campus on Wednesday morning.

Law enforcement sources provided Polito’s name to ABC News, but Las Vegas Metro Sheriff Kevin McMahill stated that the suspect’s name would not be confirmed until his family had been informed. A photo of Polito, who had recently been denied a job at the school, has been released as police continue to investigate the shooting. He had previously worked as a professor in North Carolina and Georgia.

Investigators have obtained Polito’s phone and searched a residence in Henderson, Nevada, believed to be his home, in an effort to find clues about a possible motive. Police are also examining his professional work to shed light on the attack.

During a news conference, McMahill confirmed that three unnamed people were killed in the attack, along with Polito. Four other victims were taken to the hospital, some with panic attack symptoms, while another was wounded but in stable condition. Sources have indicated that the victims were members of the faculty or staff and not students, suggesting that the shooting may have been targeted.

McMahill praised the swift response of officers, stating that their actions undoubtedly saved lives. He referred to the crime as “heinous” and “unforgivable.”

The shooting occurred at approximately 11:45 am local time on Wednesday, prompting officials to evacuate students one building at a time. UNLV sent out a text message to students instructing them to “Run, Hide, Fight.” Polito began shooting on the fourth floor of Beam Hall and continued on multiple floors.

UNLV, located 15 minutes away from the Las Vegas Strip and Mandalay Bay Resort Casino where the deadliest shooting in the United States occurred in 2017, placed students and staff on lockdown while the suspect was hunted. Police located Polito about 45 minutes after the initial 911 calls were made. As he exited Beam Hall, he engaged in a shootout with a UNLV police officer who ultimately killed him.

A reunification center has been established for evacuated students at the Las Vegas Convention Center North Hall. Concerned individuals can call 702-455-AIDE (2433) for information about their loved ones.

Beam Hall is home to UNLV’s Lee Business School and the William F. Harrah College of Hotel Administration. The building is centrally located on campus and near the student union.

UNLV President Keith Whitfield expressed his grief and called the shooting an “unfathomable event” in a statement. He assured the community that support would be provided to those affected.

The UNLV campus, unfortunately, has a dark history with mass shootings. In October 2017, a gunman opened fire on the Harvest Music Festival from his hotel room at Mandalay Bay, killing 59 people and injuring over 500, making it the deadliest mass shooting in U.S. history.

The incident at UNLV is among the 630 mass shootings that have occurred in the United States in 2023, as reported by the Gun Violence Archive. At least 38 of these shootings resulted in the deaths of four or more people. Additionally, as of December 5, there have been 1,571 children under the age of 18 who have been shot and killed this year.

As the investigation into the shooting at UNLV continues, authorities are working to uncover the motive behind the attack and provide support to the victims’ families and the campus community..