Las Vegas campus shooter sent ‘white powder’ letters to 22 universities, police say
The third victim who was killed in Wednesday’s shooting at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas has been named as Dr Naoko Takemaru.
Dr Takemaru was named after her next of kin were informed by the coroner’s office, UNLV president Keith Whitfield said in a statement.
“With sadness, I write to you to mourn the tragic passing of Dr Naoko Takemaru, who this morning was confirmed to be among the three UNLV faculty members who lost their lives during Wednesday’s shooting,” Mr Whitfield said.
The first two victims of the shooting were identified as professor Cha Jan Chang, 64, known as “Jerry,” and assistant professor Patricia Navarro Velez, 39, of Las Vegas, on Thursday.
It comes after Las Vegas police released new video purportedly showing suspect Anthony Polito moments after his shooting rampage at the University of Nevada‘s Las Vegas campus.
The footage emerged after investigators revealed that 67-year-old Polito had a “target list” - but none of his alleged victims were on it.
Police previously confirmed that Polito was a career college professor who had applied for – but failed to be accepted for – a job at UNLV.
Polito previously worked as a professor at colleges in Georgia and North Carolina, and kept a personal website where he proudly documented his academic achievements – and claimed to have solved the Zodiac Killer case.
According to police, he had a previous criminal history of computer trespass out of Virginia in 1992.
On the day of the shooting Polito was armed with a Taurus nine-millimeter handgun, which had been purchased legally in 2022. He had brought 11 magazines to the scene with him. Nine loaded magazines were found on his person.
