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Accident – Death – Obituary News : LAS VEGAS (AP) — In a shocking incident that has left the city of Las Vegas in mourning once again, a 67-year-old college professor went on a shooting rampage at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) campus, killing three faculty members before being shot dead by police.
The assailant, identified as Anthony Polito, had been denied job opportunities at various colleges and universities in Nevada. He arrived at the UNLV campus on Wednesday morning armed with a 9mm handgun and nine loaded magazines. Although none of the victims were on his list of targets, Polito’s motive for the attack remains unknown.
The shooting took place at Beam Hall, a building within the university’s Lee Business School. Students and faculty members hid in classrooms and offices while the gunman roamed the upper floors. University and city police responded swiftly to the incident, with the first officer arriving at the scene within 78 seconds of the initial reports of gunfire.
During the shootout with police, Polito was killed approximately 10 minutes after the first shots were fired. A search of his person revealed the extensive amount of ammunition he had brought to the campus. Police believe that he may have intended to target the student union building, which was nearby and had students present at the time.
Further investigation revealed that Polito had a list of named faculty members from both UNLV and East Carolina University, where he had previously taught. None of the individuals on the list were harmed in the attack. Polito had also mailed letters containing an unknown white powder to 22 faculty members across the country, but the powder was later determined to be harmless.
Authorities have stated that Polito appeared to be struggling financially and was facing eviction from his apartment. Detectives found a document resembling a last will and testament in his residence. UNLV President Keith E. Whitfield identified two of the victims as professors Patricia Navarro-Velez and Cha Jan “Jerry” Chang. The name of the third victim has not been released pending notification of relatives.
The shooting at UNLV has once again brought a sense of fear and sadness to the city of Las Vegas, which has previously experienced the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history. It is unclear how long Polito had been living in the area, but former students from East Carolina University recalled his frequent trips to Las Vegas and his fixation on negative student reviews.
As the investigation continues, the UNLV campus remains closed, with plans to reopen next week for finals. The community is left grappling with the tragic loss of life and searching for answers to understand why this senseless act of violence occurred..
