Gunman Mailed Letters Before UNLV Shooting, Police Say
The suspect in the shooting at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, that left three people dead, sent letters to 22 university personnel before the attack, according to police. Las Vegas Metro Police Department Sheriff Kevin McMahill revealed that the suspect mailed 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.
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Authorities were able to intercept all 22 letters, which were mailed from a post office in nearby Henderson, Nevada. McMahill stated that all recipients have been contacted and urged anyone in the education field who receives a taped envelope with no return address to report it to local authorities.
The suspect, identified as Anthony Polito, had applied for multiple jobs within the Nevada higher education system, including at UNLV. However, he was denied each time. He was found with a list containing names of faculty members from UNLV and East Carolina University. According to McMahill, the shooter was “seeking” the people on the list.
Officials have confirmed that students were not the targets of the attack. Almost everyone on the list has been contacted, except for one faculty member who is on an international flight. None of the faculty members on the list were victims in the shooting.
The incident occurred when the shooter arrived on campus and entered Beam Hall. The first shots were reported around 11:45 a.m., and the first officer arrived 78 seconds later. Two officers entered the building to locate and stop the shooter. The suspect left the building at 11:55 a.m. and was met by two plainclothes officers. A shootout ensued, resulting in the suspect being shot multiple times and pronounced dead at the scene.
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The victims have been identified as Patricia Navarro-Velez, 39, and ChaJan “Jerry” Chang, 64. The identity of the third deceased victim has not been released. Another victim is in critical condition at Sunrise Hospital.
The motive behind the shooting remains unclear, and police are investigating the suspect’s social media accounts and personal devices. The handgun used in the attack was legally purchased last year.
