A 67-year-old career college professor associated with educational institutions in Georgia and North Carolina has reportedly shot three dead, while injuring others at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas on Wednesday.
The incident occurred near the bustling tourist-packed Strip in the gambling hub and is the latest tragic occurrence in the United States, where gun violence remains distressingly common in daily life.
“Three of the victims are confirmed deceased,” Las Vegas Sheriff Kevin McMahill told a press conference
He mentioned that a fourth victim initially sustained critical injuries from the shooting, but their condition has since improved and upgraded to stable.
The shooter’s identity remained undisclosed initially, although sources from law enforcement, as reported by CNN and the Los Angeles Times, indicated that he was a 67-year-old career college professor associated with educational institutions in Georgia and North Carolina.
However, the nature of his affiliation with the Nevada university where the shooting occurred was not explicitly stated.
In a statement, President Joe Biden condemned the recent “horrific act of gun violence” that struck a college campus.
According to McMahill’s press conference, police swiftly responded within minutes to reports of an active shooter at 11:45 am (1945 GMT).
“Students were playing games and eating food, there were tables set up for them to build Legos,” said McMahill.
“If it hadn’t been for the heroic actions of one of those police officers who responded, there could have been countless additional lives taken.”
