Gunman in Deadly Shooting at UNLV Identified as Financially Struggling Academic, Anthony James Polito

The University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) was rocked by a deadly shooting on Wednesday, carried out by a financially struggling academic. The gunman, identified as 67-year-old Anthony James Polito, killed three people and injured another before dying at the scene. Police revealed that Polito had compiled a list of targets at UNLV and East Carolina University, where he had previously taught. Despite applying for jobs at various educational institutions in Nevada, Polito had been repeatedly denied employment.

Authorities discovered that he had sent 22 letters to university personnel across the country, all without a return address. Fortunately, the letters were intercepted, and one was found to contain a suspicious white powdery substance. The motive behind the shooting remains unclear, but it appears that UNLV students were not the primary targets. However, officials noted that Polito’s repeated job rejections may have played a role.

UNLV President Keith E. Whitfield expressed his sorrow, calling the shooting “the most difficult day in the history of our university.” Two of the victims were identified as business school professors Patricia Navarro-Velez and Cha Jan “Jerry” Chang. A 38-year-old visiting professor was also injured, with his condition downgraded to life-threatening on Thursday.

This tragic incident adds to the growing number of mass shootings in the United States. With the UNLV shooting, the country has already surpassed last year’s record of 36 mass shootings, with a total of 38 so far this year. The term “mass shooting” refers to incidents where four or more people are killed, excluding the perpetrator. In 2021 alone, at least 203 people have lost their lives in such incidents.

Las Vegas is no stranger to mass shootings, as it was the site of one of the deadliest incidents in US history back in 2017. A lone gunman situated in a 32nd-floor suite at the Mandalay Bay Casino opened fire on a crowd below, killing 60 people and injuring over 400 more during a country music festival.

The UNLV shooting serves as a grim reminder of the ongoing issue of gun violence in the United States, prompting renewed calls for stricter gun control measures to prevent further tragedies.