A deadly rampage that left three professors dead at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas last December has been captured in newly released footage. The footage shows a campus police officer diving behind a patrol vehicle to escape gunfire and then fatally shooting the gunman, identified as Anthony Polito, outside a building on campus. The 67-year-old former business professor from North Carolina had been rejected from teaching at UNLV and was armed with a legally purchased 9 mm handgun and carried nine bullet magazines.
The footage shows the moments of terror as gunshots rang out in the upper floors of the business school building, prompting people to flee from nearby buildings. The campus police officer arrived at the scene within 78 seconds of the shooting and engaged with the gunman. The university released 20 hours of footage from campus security and officer body cameras, as well as recordings of 911 calls made to campus police during the incident. University Vice President of Public Safety Adam Garcia expressed the sadness of reliving the tragic events of that day through the released material.
The 911 recordings captured the sounds of gunshots and panicked calls from individuals seeking help and guidance on the active shooter situation on campus. One father called in to report that his daughter was hiding in a classroom and received assurance from the dispatcher that police were at the scene. The recordings provide a chilling insight into the chaos and fear that gripped the campus during the shooting. The campus security officers were quick to respond and enter the business school building while Las Vegas police swarmed the area to secure the campus.
Video footage from campus surveillance cameras showed the gunman, Anthony Polito, getting out of a black sedan wearing a black trench coat before walking calmly towards the business school building. Officers were seen assisting a badly wounded professor who walked out of the building before collapsing on the sidewalk. The injured professor, identified as a visiting professor, has been reported to be improving daily and undergoing rehabilitation. UNLV President Keith Whitfield informed the university community about the professor’s progress and that he was out of the hospital.
Las Vegas police began releasing video and audio recordings in December that showed the extensive efforts made by law enforcement officials to ensure the safety of students and faculty on campus. Officers from throughout southern Nevada spent hours going door to door in campus buildings, releasing individuals in waves before declaring that the gunman had acted alone and there was no further threat. The shooting occurred just a few miles from the site of the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history in 2017. Sixty people died, and hundreds were wounded or injured in that tragic event. The newly released footage sheds light on the swift response of campus security and law enforcement during the shooting rampage at UNLV.
