The Wednesday shooting at the University of Nevada campus in Vegas left three staff members dead.
The suspect in the shooting at the University of Nevada campus in Vegas that left three people dead Wednesday is a 67-year-old professor, according to authorities.
Professor Anthony Polito appears to have a fixation on conspiracy theories. He wrote a 15-page document about the infamous Zodiac Killer and claimed to have decyphered messages from him. On his website, Inside Edition found a link to a film made by the notorious conspiracy theorist Alex Jones.
The 67-year-old was a “semi-retired” professor of business management but he was reportedly rejected for a position at the Vegas university, which may have triggered his rampage that ended in the deaths of three staff members at the business school, police say.
“We were not sure whether to leave or to stay and then we got the second notice that said yeah, there’s a shooter on campus,” professor at the university Dr. Craig Hennigan says.
Students heard a grim public announcement telling them “Confirmed active shooter at bay. This is not a test. Run, hide, fight.”
Emergency vehicles arrived to the scene, classrooms were evacuated, and a line of students headed to safety with their hands up.
Basketball great Lebron James spoke about the tragedy at a news conference in Las Vegas before a Lakers game.
“It makes no sense that we continue to lose innocent lives, on campuses, schools, at shopping markets and movie theaters and all types of stuff. It’s just ridiculous,” James said.
Students were allowed back into campus Thursday with the university promising a strong police presence.
