Nevada shooting: None of the victims killed at UNLV were on Anthony Polito's target list
NEVADA, LAS VEGAS: A new video released by the Las Vegas police shows the moment officers fatally took down Anthony Polito, the suspect involved in the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, (UNLV) shooting that claimed three lives.
Additionally, it was revealed on Thursday, December 7, that Polito had compiled a list of targets both at UNLV and East Carolina University in North Carolina. Interestingly, those who were shot were not mentioned on the suspect's list.
Investigators suggest that Polito may have been searching for individuals on his list, and when unable to locate them, he indiscriminately shot others present in the building.
"None of the individuals on the target list became a victim," clarified Clark County Sheriff Kevin McMahill in a news conference on Thursday.
It's important to note that the gunman, who opened fire on the campus on Wednesday, December 6, killed three faculty members, and wounded a fourth individual before he engaged in a fatal shootout with the police, as reported by university officials.
Gunman sent 22 letters to university faculty members across US
As per ABC reports, the gunman sent 22 letters to university faculty members across the US before the shooting, though the contents of these letters remain unknown, McMahill mentioned.
Sheriff McMahill stated that the police had successfully contacted everyone on the suspect's list, except for one person who was on a flight at the time.
While investigators are still exploring the motive, Sheriff McMahill pointed out that Polito had applied for numerous positions at colleges and universities in Nevada but faced rejection each time.
Regarding the firearm used, McMahill revealed that the suspect's .9mm handgun was legally purchased last year.
Investigations are ongoing to determine the number of rounds fired during the rampage. The sheriff disclosed that the gunman brought 150 additional rounds of ammunition to the campus, and after the confrontation, nine loaded magazines were found on the shooter.
Who are the victims?
In a communication addressed to students and staff, University President Keith E Whitfield expressed that the shooting marked the most difficult day in the history of their institution.
President Whitfield identified two of the victims killed as business school professors Patricia Navarro-Velez and ChaJan 'Jerry' Chang. The third victim's name will be disclosed once relatives have been notified.
The wounded individual, a 38-year-old visiting professor, was reported to be in life-threatening condition as of December 7, as announced by the police during a news conference.
During the unsettling incident on Wednesday, terrified students and professors sought refuge in classrooms and dorms while the gunman, wandering through UNLV's Lee Business School, opened fire just before noon on the fourth floor, where faculty and staff offices for the accounting and marketing departments are situated.
Patricia Navarro-Velez, 39, was an accounting professor with a Ph.D. in accounting, specializing in research on cybersecurity disclosures and data analytics, as per the school's website.
On the other hand, ChaJan 'Jerry' Chang, 64, served as an associate professor in the business school's Management, Entrepreneurship & Technology department and had been part of UNLV since 2001.
His academic journey included degrees from Taiwan, Central Michigan University, and Texas A&M University, with a Ph.D. in management information systems from the University of Pittsburgh, according to his online resume.
