The Clark County Office of the Coroner/Medical Examiner has identified the third victim killed in the University of Nevada, Las Vegas shooting as Naoko Takemaru, a 69-year-old Associate Professor of Japanese Studies at UNLV. The shooting occurred on Wednesday, December 6, 2023, when a gunman opened fire on the campus.
Dr. Takemaru was a highly respected professor who taught various aspects of Japanese language, culture, and translation at UNLV. She had received the William Morris Award for Excellence in Teaching from the College of Liberal Arts at the university. Her death has left a deep void in the Japanese Studies department and the entire UNLV community.
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Authorities had previously released the names of the two other victims. They were identified as professors Cha Jan “Jerry” Chang, 64, and Patricia Navarro Velez, 39. Professor Navarro was an accounting professor with a Ph.D. in accounting, specializing in cybersecurity disclosures and data analytics. She had been teaching at UNLV for nearly five years. Professor Chang was an associate professor in the business school’s Management, Entrepreneurship & Technology department. He had an extensive educational background and had been teaching at UNLV since 2001.
University President Keith E. Whitfield expressed his deep sorrow in a letter to students and staff, stating that the shooting was the most difficult day in the history of the university. He extended his condolences to the families, friends, and loved ones of the victims, emphasizing the emotional impact that this senseless act of violence has had on the UNLV community.
In addition to the three fatalities, another UNLV faculty member was critically injured and taken to Sunrise Hospital & Medical Center. Fortunately, their condition has since been upgraded to stable.
The gunman, identified as Anthony Polito, was killed in a shootout with responding officers approximately ten minutes after the first shots were reported. Polito had previously applied for a professorship at UNLV but was not hired. The motive behind the shooting is still under investigation.
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The tragic events at UNLV have shaken the Las Vegas community, leaving many in mourning and seeking answers. The university and law enforcement agencies are working together to provide support to those affected and to ensure the safety of the campus moving forward.
