LAS VEGAS – Campus surveillance footage has been released, showing a campus police officer taking decisive action during a deadly shooting spree at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. The incident, which left three professors dead and one wounded, occurred last December. The footage shows the officer diving for cover behind a patrol vehicle before fatally shooting the gunman, putting an end to a 10-minute rampage unleashed by a 67-year-old former business professor from North Carolina.
Anthony Polito, the gunman, was armed with a legally purchased 9 mm handgun and carried multiple ammunition magazines. Despite having a target list of names, none of the victims were on that list. The university recently shared 20 hours of footage from campus security cameras and officer body cameras, as well as over an hour of 911 call recordings.
Sounds of gunfire from the upper floors of a business school building led to chaos on campus, with people fleeing in fear. In response to public records requests, the footage was made available to the public by the university. One of the recordings includes a father calling 911 after receiving a text message from his daughter, who was hiding in a classroom during the shooting.
The videos show the swift response of campus security officers and Las Vegas police, as well as the harrowing moments experienced by those on campus. One video captures the gunman arriving at the business school building, while another shows officers assisting a wounded professor who managed to exit the building before collapsing on a sidewalk.
UNLV President Keith Whitfield updated the university community on the condition of the wounded professor, a visiting faculty member, who is currently undergoing rehabilitation and has been discharged from the hospital. This incident comes just a few years after the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history, which occurred in Las Vegas in 2017.
Authorities have clarified that the gunman acted alone, and there is no further threat to the campus. The newly released footage provides a chilling look at the events that unfolded that day, showcasing the bravery and quick actions of law enforcement officers in the face of danger.
Overall, the videos serve as a reminder of the tragic consequences of gun violence, highlighting the need for continued efforts to prevent such incidents in the future.