UNLV shooting suspect had ‘target list’ of people before deadly attack

‘None of the individuals on the target list became a victim,’ says Clark County sheriff Kevin McMahill

The suspected gunman who fatally shot three faculty members at the University of Nevada‘s Las Vegas campus had a “target list”, according to the police.

All individuals on the “target list” have been reached, except for one person currently travelling abroad, police said.

“None of the individuals on the target list became a victim,” Clark County sheriff Kevin McMahill said on Thursday.

The suspect, who has now been publicly identified by police, was killed during a shoot-out with officers shortly after the attack began.

Anthony Polito, accused of being armed with a legally purchased 9mm handgun and nine magazines, was discovered with a school target list.

Authorities suggested that the motive behind the shooting may have been the suspect’s frustration over being rejected for several job opportunities at different colleges. The former college professor was also facing financial difficulties.

Two of the victims of the shooting were also identified as professor Cha Jan Chang, 64, known as “Jerry,” and assistant professor Patricia Navarro Velez, 39, of Las Vegas.

The university is set to remain closed on Friday, with a tentative plan to reopen next week for final exams.

One of Polito’s former students was quoted as was quoted as saying by WTVD-TV that the former professor would obsess over online “negative feedback” from students.

“One of the things that always stood out to me that made me uncomfortable was he would try to figure out who wrote the negative feedback,” Paul Whittington said. “And a lot of the negative feedback was shared with us in class.”

Meanwhile, Keith Whitfield, president of UNLV, said he was heartbroken by the “senseless act of violence” that had resulted in the death of three faculty members.

Before the shooting, Polito also mailed 22 letters to university faculty members across the US, according to footage reviewed by detectives from a dashcam in Polito’s vehicle.

Some envelopes contained an unknown white powder that was later found to be harmless, police said.

Additional reporting with agencies