Police shot and killed a suspected shooter who opened fire on the University of Nevada, Las Vegas campus on Wednesday, killing three and wounding another at the school where they were reportedly looking for work.
University police responded to reports of shots fired around 11:45 a.m. local time on the fourth floor of Beam Hall, near the student union building, and the campus alerted students: “RUN-HIDE-FIGHT.”
“This is not a test,” the emergency alert said.
UNLV police and LVMPD officers responded to the scene, authorities said. Two campus detectives “immediately engaged the suspect in a shootout” outside the building, UNLV Police Chief Adam Garcia told reporters at a news conference Wednesday night.
“The suspect was struck and passed away at this time,” Garcia said.
The alleged shooter is a 67-year-old college professor who previously taught at East Carolina University in North Carolina, a law enforcement official told the Associated Press, adding that they had unsuccessfully sought a job at UNLV.
The alleged gunman is 67 years old and also had connections to universities in Georgia, law enforcement sources told CN.
LVMPD Sheriff Kevin McMahill said police have confirmed the identity of the suspect, but have not released his name at this time.
He also declined to reveal the suspect’s affiliation with UNLV or what they were doing on campus.
The police arrive at the scene. A shooting was reported on the Nevada campus.
Three victims were found dead and a fourth was taken to an area hospital with gunshot wounds, where they are recovering in stable condition, McMahill said.
Four others were hospitalized after suffering panic attacks and two officers were treated for minor injuries suffered while cleaning buildings, he said.
The shooter’s motive remains under investigation.
Officers arrive at the scene of the shooting. An officer in his vehicle at the scene. Nevada State Police officers head to the UNLV campus. AP
The UNLV campus is about two miles from the Las Vegas Strip and across from Harry Reid International Airport.
Approximately 30,000 students attend the school.
The campus was placed on lockdown almost immediately after the shooting was reported. Police evacuated students and staff from campus “floor by floor, room by room, building by building,” McMahill said.
People leave campus with hands raised after reports of a shooting. via REUTERS Police approach the UNLV campus on Wednesday. Via REUTERS
UNLV officials asked students to remain sheltered in place as buildings were evacuated one by one.
A University of Nevada student told local outlet KVUU that she took shelter in the campus student union building after learning of the active shooter alert.
“We found out there were police on the scene and we just sheltered in place until we were evacuated. And it took us about 30 minutes to evacuate,” said student Jessica.
Another student described how about 200 students crowded into the building when they heard gunshots.
A shooting suspect is dead after police responded to a “confirmed active shooter” incident on campus. KSNV
“A lot of people panicked,” the student, who did not want to be identified, told the outlet.
He said armed officers evacuated them from the building with their hands up. As they were escorted out of the student union, he said, “they walked past one of the windows, the window was shot out and there was glass everywhere.”
According to Clark County officials, a reunification center for those who had family members on campus was established at the Las Vegas Convention Center.
The area of campus where the shooting occurred. Clark County Sheriff Kevin McMahill speaks about a fatal shooting on the campus of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, during a news conference at Las Vegas Metropolitan Police headquarters. ALLISON DINNER/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock Adam Garcia, vice president of public services and director of UNLV Police, speaks about a fatal shooting on the campus of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, during a press conference at the headquarters of Las Vegas Metropolitan Police. AP Nevada Governor Joe Lombardo speaks about a fatal shooting on the campus of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, during a news conference at Las Vegas Metropolitan Police headquarters. AP A law enforcement officer walks past an ambulance with the words ‘Vegas Strong’ outside the University of Nevada, where several people were shot on campus. ALLISON DINNER/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock Law enforcement officers work outside the University of Nevada, where several people were shot on campus. DINNER ALLISON/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock Students pass by as multiple law enforcement agencies work outside the University of Nevada, where several people were shot on campus. ALLISON DINNER/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock People talk to authorities for information, outside the University of Nevada, where several people were shot. DINNER ALLISON/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock
Officials said that in addition to UNLV, all other Nevada System of Higher Education institutions in the southern part of the state were closed for the rest of the day.
UNLV Police Chief Garcia said the school’s campus would remain closed until Friday. The school could still be closed next week, when students must take final exams, he said.
UNLV’s scheduled men’s basketball game against the University of Dayton has been canceled, the Ohio State basketball program announced on social media.
Las Vegas Mayor Carolyn Goodman offered her “condolences on behalf of the entire city and community” at Wednesday night’s press conference.
“What a tragic time for us, but it’s time to be positive and do something,” he added.
Nevada Gov. Joe Lombardo, a former Clark County sheriff, praised authorities for their quick response.
The shooting at UNLV and Tuesday’s two fatal shootings in Texas led President Biden to call on congressional Republicans to ban assault weapons.
“Jill and I join the citizens of our nation in praying for the families of our fallen and for those who were injured during these latest acts of senseless violence,” the president said.
“Despite all the actions we have taken since I have been president, the epidemic of gun violence we face demands that we do even more. But we can’t do more without Congress,” Biden said.
According to CNN, there have been 80 school shootings so far this year, surpassing last year’s record of 79 during the same period.
Of this year’s school shootings, 51 occurred on K-12 campuses, while the other 29 occurred at colleges or universities.
Categories: Trending
Source: vtt.edu.vn