Accident – Death – Obituary News : LAS VEGAS — Authorities have identified two of the three victims who lost their lives in a tragic shooting incident at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) on Wednesday. The Clark County coroner’s office revealed that the victims were professors Cha Jan “Jerry” Chang, 64, and Patricia Navarro Velez, 39. The identity of the third victim has been determined, but the family has not yet been notified.
The shooting at UNLV has sent shockwaves through the university community, with University President Keith E. Whitfield describing it as the “most difficult day in the history of our university” in a letter to students and staff.
Professor Navarro was an accomplished accounting professor at UNLV, specializing in cybersecurity disclosures and data analytics. She held a Ph.D. in accounting and had been teaching at the university for almost five years. Her focus was on teaching accounting information systems, according to Whitfield.
Professor Chang, on the other hand, was an associate professor in the Management, Entrepreneurship & Technology department of the university’s business school. He had an impressive academic background, earning degrees from Taiwan, Central Michigan University, and Texas A&M University. He obtained his Ph.D. in management information systems from the University of Pittsburgh and had been teaching at UNLV since 2001. Chang was a highly respected educator who dedicated more than 20 years of his career to shaping the minds of UNLV business students.
The entire UNLV community mourns the loss of these two exceptional educators. President Whitfield expressed his heartfelt condolences to the families, friends, and loved ones of the victims, stating that the shooting had a profound impact on so many people, both physically and emotionally.
In addition to the three fatalities, another faculty member sustained gunshot wounds and was rushed to Sunrise Hospital & Medical Center in critical condition. However, the latest reports indicate that their condition has been upgraded to stable.
The suspect responsible for the shooting, Anthony Polito, was engaged in a shootout with responding officers and was killed approximately 10 minutes after the first shots were reported at UNLV’s Beam Hall, according to Clark County Sheriff Kevin McMahill. Polito had previously applied for a professorship at UNLV but was not hired, sources informed ABC News. The motive behind the shooting remains under investigation.
The UNLV community is coming together to support one another during this difficult time. The university has offered counseling services and resources to students, faculty, and staff affected by the tragedy.
This heartbreaking incident serves as a reminder of the importance of campus safety and the need for continued efforts to prevent such acts of violence. Authorities are working tirelessly to gather all the facts surrounding the shooting and ensure that justice is served.
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