“UNLV Shooting: New Body Camera Footage Reveals Events During Active Shooter Incident, Anthony Polito Identified as Gunman”

Accident – death – Obituary News : LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department has released additional body camera footage from the shooting that took place at UNLV on Wednesday, Dec. 6, 2023. The newly released video shows previously unseen events unfolding on campus during the active shooter incident.

The gunman, identified as 67-year-old Anthony Polito, opened fire in the university’s Lee Business School building, resulting in the deaths of three faculty members and critical injury to another. This latest video, the seventh of eight body-worn camera videos released by Metro police, runs for just under 30 minutes.

One of the previously released videos showed Polito leaving the business building as police arrived and ordered everyone to evacuate. Polito was later killed in a shootout with University Police Services officers just outside Frank and Estella Beam Hall, where he had shot the four faculty members.

In the newly released footage, officers can be heard receiving a description of the gunman as they arrive on the scene. They are directed to the third floor of Beam Hall, where shots were reported to be fired. As officers sprint towards the scene, a panicked voice over the radio confirms the presence of gunshots on the third floor.

Upon reaching Beam Hall, the officers pause momentarily upon learning that the suspect has been shot. They quickly resume their run towards the scene. One officer can be heard calling for backup, while the officer whose camera feed is being shown assures them that he has a shotgun aimed at the suspect.

The next portion of the video is blacked out, obscuring the unfolding scene outside Beam Hall. However, the audio reveals officers discussing the situation. One officer informs another that the suspect has been shot, but uncertainty remains about the presence of another subject.

Confusion regarding the number of gunmen is evident in the initial response of the officers, as gunfire from different locations caused uncertainty. This confusion is also highlighted in other previously released body camera videos.

Approximately one-third into the video, a group of officers who witnessed the suspect being shot enter Beam Hall. They begin sweeping classrooms on the second floor, with one officer breaking away from the group to safely escort a student in a wheelchair. The officer keeps his shotgun ready as they navigate through the building.

Struggling to find an elevator, the officer enlists the help of other officers to carry the student downstairs and out of the building. Meanwhile, students start to be escorted out of the building, with fear and tears visible on some of their faces.

As the second floor is cleared, officers express their confusion about how to reach the third floor. They quickly locate a stairwell and start ascending, still uncertain about the number of shooters. The inability to completely clear each floor becomes evident as some doors are locked and officers lack the keys.

A portion of the third-floor hallway is obscured in the video, but officers later inform each other that a victim is located on the third floor. The officer whose camera feed is shown ends up stationed outside the stairwell at Beam Hall as the video concludes.

Previous videos reviewed by Channel 13 revealed that officers further upstairs in the building resorted to breaking through drywall to access locked classrooms and offices. Ultimately, it was determined that Polito was the sole gunman, despite the initial confusion.

Investigations into the shooting uncovered that Polito had applied for at least four jobs at UNLV and was rejected for all of them. His personal website indicated his fixation on Las Vegas and the Zodiac killer, with Polito claiming to have solved the killer’s infamous cipher.

The three faculty members killed in the shooting were identified as Patricia Navarro, Naoko Takamaru, and Cha-Jan “Jerry” Chang. University president Keith E. Whitfield recently announced plans for a permanent memorial in honor of the slain faculty members. Beam Hall, where the shooting took place, is expected to remain closed throughout the spring semester.

In conclusion, the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department released additional body camera footage from the UNLV shooting, shedding light on previously unseen events. The footage captures the officers’ response to the active shooter incident, showcasing their efforts to evacuate and protect students. The investigation into the shooting revealed the shooter’s motive and the tragic loss of three faculty members. The university is now focused on honoring the victims through a permanent memorial..