Who Is Anthony Polito, Las Vegas University Shooter and Struggling Academic With 'Target List'? – News18

Anthony James Polito has been identified as the gunman responsible for Wednesday’s deadly shooting at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) that killed three professors. Polito, 67, went on a rampage, killing three faculty members and injuring a fourth.

The attack lasted roughly 10 minutes, raising questions about Polito’s motives and plans. The shooting spree on December 6 occurred at UNLV’s Lee Business School, targeting faculty members. Las Vegas Police held a press conference revealing shocking details about the shooter.

Who was Polito?

Clark County Sheriff Kevin McMahill revealed that Polito, a longtime business professor, had a list of targets at UNLV and was armed with more than 150 rounds of ammunition during the attack. Polito had an adjunct faculty contract and taught two courses in the school’s Master of Business Administration program from October 2018 to June 2022. He left when the program was discontinued.

Police revealed that Polito had applied for several jobs at different colleges and universities in Nevada, facing rejection each time. The investigation also unveiled Polito’s connection to East Carolina University in North Carolina, where he worked as a professor from 2001 to 2017.

Sent 22 letters

The list of targets included faculty members from East Carolina University, but none of them fell victim to the attack. Before the shooting, Polito sent 22 letters to university faculty members across the US, some containing an unknown white powder later found to be harmless.

Polito arrived at UNLV about 15 minutes before the shooting, armed with a legally purchased 9mm handgun. He had 11 magazines with him, and police found nine of them after the shootout. The sheer volume of ammunition suggested he might have intended to target the student union, adjacent to the business school.

Criminal record

Polito, facing eviction from his home in the Las Vegas suburb of Henderson, had a criminal record of computer trespass dating to 1992 in Virginia, but police said there were no advance signs of violence.

The attack stirred memories of the 2017 Las Vegas shooting, the deadliest in modern US history. Authorities noted Polito’s financial struggles upon searching his apartment, where an eviction notice was found. A document resembling a “last will” was discovered, indicating potential signs of distress.

Motive and Target

The precise motive for the rampage remained to be determined, though officials said it appeared students were not the primary target. Polito’s financial struggles and repeated job rejections might have contributed to his actions.

UNLV President Keith E. Whitfield identified two of the victims as business school professors Patricia Navarro-Velez and Cha Jan “Jerry” Chang. The third victim’s identity was withheld pending notification of relatives.

A visiting professor, aged 38, also sustained critical injuries. The UNLV campus will remain closed through Friday. The UNLV website said classes had been canceled through December 10.

(With agency inputs)