UNLV shooting victims identified” : “UNLV Shooting Claims Lives of Naoko Takemaru, Cha Jan Chang, and Patricia Navarro Velez

The Clark County Office of the Coroner/Medical Examiner has released the name of the third victim killed by a gunman at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) on Wednesday. The victim has been identified as Naoko Takemaru, a 69-year-old Associate Professor of Japanese Studies at UNLV.

Dr. Naoko Takemaru taught various subjects related to Japanese language, culture, and translation at UNLV. She was highly regarded in her field and had received the William Morris Award for Excellence in Teaching from the College of Liberal Arts at UNLV. Her death has left a deep void in the university community.

The Clark County coroner’s office also released the names of the two other victims killed in the shooting. They were identified as professors Cha Jan “Jerry” Chang, 64, and Patricia Navarro Velez, 39. Chang was an associate professor in the business school’s Management, Entrepreneurship & Technology department, while Navarro was an accounting professor focused on research in cybersecurity disclosures and data analytics.

University President Keith E. Whitfield expressed his condolences to the victims’ families and described the shooting as the most difficult day in the history of UNLV. He highlighted the contributions and impact these educators had on their students and the university community.

The suspect, Anthony Polito, was killed in a shootout with responding officers approximately ten minutes after the first shots were reported at UNLV’s Beam Hall. Polito had reportedly applied for a professorship at UNLV but was not hired. The motive behind the shooting remains under investigation.

The tragic incident has deeply affected the UNLV campus, with the university community mourning the loss of three dedicated and respected educators. As the investigation continues, the focus remains on supporting the victims’ families and providing resources for students and staff affected by the shooting.