ChaJan Chang: UNLV faculty member of over 2 decades killed in campus shooting spree
Warning: This article contains a recollection of crime and can be triggering to some, readers’ discretion advised.
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA: In the devastating shooting massacre at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV), details have emerged about the victims, including esteemed Associate Professor ChaJan Chang, 64, an academic who fell victim to the act of violence perpetrated by Anthony Polito.
67-year-old Polito, unleashed a deadly shooting rampage on December 6, claiming the lives of three faculty members, and causing life-threatening injuries to a fourth, driven by a vendetta fueled by job rejection.
Who was ChaJan Chang?
Professor ChaJan Chang, known as "Jerry", was a resident of Henderson, and became the first officially identified victim by the Clark County Office of the Coroner/Medical Examiner. The cause of his death was determined to be a homicide due to a gunshot wound to the head.
With a Ph.D. in management information systems from the University of Pittsburgh, Chang had been an integral part of the UNLV community since 2001, as per UNLV.
The second victim, Assistant Professor Patricia Navarro and mother of four, died 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.
A fourth victim, a 38-year-old visiting professor, survived the attack and is currently battling life-threatening injuries.
How did the UNLV shooting transpire?
The tragedy unfolded as Polito, the alleged assailant, entered the campus shortly before noon on December 6, carrying a handgun and 11 ammunition magazines, according to law enforcement.
The shooter's intended targets included professors at both UNLV and East Carolina University, where he had previously served as an associate business professor.
“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.
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,” he added.
Subsequent searches at the Polito's residence uncovered additional documents suggesting his intention to die during the mass shooting.
University President Keith Whitfield issued a heartfelt statement confirming that all four individuals who were shot were faculty members.
"My heart breaks for the families, friends, and loved ones of Dr. Navarro and Dr. Chang, and for all of the victims of this senseless act of violence that has physically and emotionally affected so many," said Whitfield.
