Accounting professor Patricia Navarro-Velez among victims identified in UNLV mass shooting
Warning: This article contains a recollection of crime and can be triggering to some, readers’ discretion advised.
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA: In the devastating mass shooting at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV), details have emerged about the victims, including the esteemed Assistant Professor Patricia Navarro Velez, 39, a mother of four, who lost her life in the callous act of violence perpetrated by 67-year-old Anthony Polito.
Polito, unleashed a deadly shooting rampage on Wednesday, December 6, claiming the lives of three faculty members, and causing life-threatening injuries to a fourth, apparently driven by a vendetta over repeated job rejections.
UNLV shooting spree victims identified
The Clark County Office of the Coroner/Medical Examiner has officially identified two of the victims, with Professor Cha-Jan Chang, 64, known as "Jerry," of Henderson, being the first. The manner of his death was determined to be a homicide due to a gunshot wound to the head.
The second victim, Assistant Professor Patricia, met a tragic end as a result of multiple gunshot wounds. The coroner's office is currently in the process of identifying the next of kin for the third victim, and has not released their name yet.
A fourth victim, a 38-year-old visiting professor, survived the attack and is currently battling life-threatening injuries.
Who was Patricia Navarro Velez?
A mother of four, Patricia Navarro Velez held a PhD from the University of Central Florida, a Master of Accountancy from Bowling Green State University, and a BBA in accounting from the University of Puerto Rico, Ponce. "Dr Navarro’s current research focuses on cybersecurity disclosures and assurance, internal control weakness disclosure, and data analytics," as per UNLV.
She was a recipient of prestigious fellowships, including the AICPA Fellowship for Minority Doctoral Students and the KPMG Foundation Minority Doctoral Students Scholarship from 2014 to 2019.
Patricia's teaching interests centered on accounting information systems. "Dr. Navarro is a Certified Information Systems Auditor," stated the university's website.
How did the UNLV shooting transpire?
The tragedy unfolded as Polito, the alleged assailant, entered the campus shortly before noon on Wednesday, December 6, carrying a handgun and 11 ammunition magazines, according to the police sheriff.
The shooter's intended targets included professors at both UNLV and East Carolina University, where he had previously served as an associate business professor.
He also had a list of targets, which included professors at both the University. “None of the individuals on the target list became a victim,” Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department Sheriff Kevin McMahill stated. In addition, the suspect is accused of sending 22 letters containing laced white powder to scholars nationwide before carrying out the violent massacre.
What was the motive behind the UNLV shooting?
In a confrontation with law enforcement, Polito was fatally shot as he rushed out of the building after his killing spree. Sheriff McMahill revealed that the motives behind the shooting remain unclear, but the 67-year-old's history of repeated job rejections and financial struggles may have played a role.
“We know he applied numerous times for a job with several Nevada higher education institutions and was denied each time,” revealed McMahill, New York Post reports.
“We also know the suspect was struggling financially, as evidenced by when we served a search warrant on his apartment. There was a notice of eviction taped to the front door."
Subsequent searches at the Polito's residence uncovered additional documents suggesting his intention to die during the mass shooting.
