Three Dead, 1 Injured in Mass Shooting at UNLV; Gunman Identified as Anthony Polito

Three people were killed and one more was critically injured after a shooting at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) on Wednesday. The motive behind the mass shooting is still under investigation.

The shooting took place at around 11:45 a.m. when the gunman opened fire on the fourth floor of UNLV’s Lee Business School building. He then moved to several other floors before engaging in a shootout with two university police detectives outside the building, resulting in his death. UNLV Police Chief Adam Garcia provided these details.

Law enforcement sources have revealed that the gunman was a former professor named Anthony Polito, who had unsuccessfully sought a job at UNLV. The 67-year-old was also identified by ABC News as having ties to Georgia. It is believed that he lived in a Henderson, Nevada apartment, which is currently being searched by detectives. Polito’s phone has been found and is being examined for clues about his motive.

This incident marks the deadliest shooting in Las Vegas since the tragic 2017 Mandalay Bay casino shooting, which claimed 60 lives and injured over 400 people. The UNLV campus is located just a few miles away from the site of that attack.

Details about the victims have not been released, and the type of weapon used has not been disclosed. Witnesses reported hearing multiple gunshots, with some estimating the number to be as high as 20.

Sheriff Kevin McMahill emphasized that if the police had not intervened, the number of casualties could have been much higher. He expressed sorrow that students had to experience such violence on a college campus, stating that “no student should have to fear pursuing their dreams.”

The investigation into the shooting at UNLV is ongoing, and authorities are working to determine the exact motive behind this tragic event.