The gunman responsible for the shooting at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, on Wednesday, in which three people were killed, reportedly mailed letters to 22 university personnel across the country before the attack, according to police. Las Vegas Metro Police Department Sheriff Kevin McMahill revealed that the suspect sent the letters without a return address. One of the envelopes contained a white powder substance, which was later found to be harmless. The contents of the letters remain unknown.
Authorities were able to intercept all 22 letters, which were mailed from a post office in nearby Henderson, Nevada, after sifting through 14,000 pieces of mail. McMahill confirmed that all 22 recipients had been contacted and urged anyone in the education world who receives a taped envelope with no return address to report it to local authorities.
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The suspect has been identified as Anthony Polito, 67, who had applied for multiple jobs within the Nevada higher education system, including at UNLV. However, he was denied every time. He had a list containing names of faculty members at UNLV and East Carolina University, where he had previously worked from 2001 to 2017. McMahill stated that the shooter was “seeking” the people on the list and emphasized that students were not the targets in this incident.
Officials have managed to contact almost everyone on the list, except for one ECU faculty member who is currently on an international flight. None of the faculty members on the list were victims of the attack.
The shooter arrived on campus at 11:28 a.m. and entered Beam Hall at 11:33 a.m. The first shots were reported at 11:45 a.m., with the first officer arriving at the scene 78 seconds later. Two officers entered the building immediately upon hearing the shots and confronted the shooter. The suspect left the building at 11:55 a.m. and was shot multiple times in a shootout with plainclothes officers before being pronounced dead at the scene.
The identities of two of the deceased victims have been released as Patricia Navarro-Velez, 39, and ChaJan “Jerry” Chang, 64. A third victim remains unidentified, while a fourth victim is in critical condition at Sunrise Hospital.
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The motive for the attack remains unclear, and police are investigating the suspect’s social media accounts and personal devices for any warning signs. The weapon used, a Taurus 9 mm handgun, was legally purchased last year. The suspect’s apartment was also searched, revealing an eviction notice and a document resembling a last will and testament. Authorities are not aware of any other planned acts of violence by the shooter.
