(LibertySons.org) – Extensive training and quick action paid off for Las Vegas, Nevada, law enforcement officers on December 6. They quickly resolved an active shooter incident and saved lives, although the suspect died in a gun battle with authorities.
The gunman, later identified as Anthony Polito, 67, entered the business school in Frank and Estella Beam Hall on the University of Nevada Las Vegas (UNLV) campus just after 11:30 a.m. carrying a legally purchased Taurus 9 mm semi-automatic handgun and 11 magazines of ammunition.
Shots began to ring out around 11:45 a.m. in Beam Hall, although the exact sequence of events remains unclear. Polito killed two victims on the third floor and another individual on the fourth floor of the building. The gunman wounded a fourth person on the fifth floor, but he escaped and exited the building, where police and first responders stabilized him and transported him to a hospital.
Polito left Beam Hall around 11:55 a.m., moving toward the crowded Student Union next door when he encountered police. A gun battle took place, and police struck Polito several times with gunfire. They placed him under arrest and began life-saving measures, but he died at the scene. Unsure whether he was acting alone, police continued sweeping the area and evacuating students and faculty.
Two of the victims were professors in the business department, ChaJan “Jerry” Chang, 64, and Patricia Navarro Velez, 39. Authorities hadn’t released the identity of the third victim at the time of writing. A spokesperson from Sunrise Hospital and Medical Center said the surviving shooting victim remains hospitalized in critical but stable condition.
Investigation into Polito thus far has revealed that East Carolina University (ECU) in Greenville employed him as a tenured associate business professor from 2001 until 2017. Polito taught two courses at Roseman University’s MBA program in Henderson, Nevada, from fall 2018 through spring 2022. Most past students who commented on his teaching style seemed to enjoy his relaxed teaching style, featuring personal vignettes.
Sheriff Kevin McMahill told reporters investigators were still trying to understand Polito’s motives. He noted that they found an eviction notice on the suspect’s door and a document similar to a will. He stated the investigation remained ongoing. He praised all responding agencies for the comprehensive and continuous interagency training they’ve undertaken, crediting it with saving numerous lives in the active shooter situation on campus.
~Here’s to Our Liberty!
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