A gunman opened fire on the campus of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV), on Wednesday, killing three people and wounding a fourth before being shot dead by police.
The suspect has not been named but according to law enforcement sources is a man in his 60s. He began shooting on the fourth floor of Beam Hall, a building on campus, Las Vegas Police Sheriff Kevin McMahill said. The suspect continued to “multiple floors,” McMahill said, before he was “neutralized” outside the building.
The person wounded in the shootings was initially listed in critical condition at a hospital but police later said they were stable.
University police responded to calls of shots fired around 11:45 a.m. local time (2:45 p.m. ET). Two university police detectives “immediately engaged the suspect in a shootout” that resulted in the gunman’s death, University Police Chief Adam Garcia said.
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Students were gathered just outside Beam Hall “playing games and eating food” at the time of the shooting, McMahill said. Tables were set up outside for them to “build Legos.” Several students described hearing gunshots and running for safety.
“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,” McMahill said, adding that “armed confrontation of the suspect by law enforcement stopped the suspect’s further actions.”
University President Keith. E. Whitfield in a statement called the shooting “unfathomable.”
Students late Wednesday were allowed to return to campus housing. Whitfield said all classes and academic and performing arts activities will be canceled through Sunday. An evaluation will be made over whether to resume activities next week, Whitfield said.
“What happened today is a heinous, unforgivable crime,” Sheriff Kevin McMahill said during a news conference.
“There was a gathering just outside of the building where the students were playing games and eating food,” he continued. “There were tables set up for them to build Legos, and if it hadn’t been for the heroic actions of one of the police officers who responded, there could have been countless additional lives taken.”
The shooting was first reported at 11:45 a.m., and McMahill said the incident originated on the fourth floor of Beam Hall.
“We heard shots; we heard a bunch of shots, and the second police got there, they went in, and more shots were fired,” UNLV junior Danny Coleman told KTNV ABC 13.
The officers engaged the suspect in a firefight, where he was struck and killed, according to the police.
UNLV said police were working to evacuate buildings one at a time, and students were urged to shelter in place. The order was lifted late Wednesday night, university president Keith E. Whitfield announced in a letter to the community.
Three died in the incident, and a fourth gunshot victim was taken to Sunrise Hospital & Medical Center in critical condition. Their condition was later upgraded to stable, police said.
Four other students were transported to the hospital suffering panic attacks, according to McMahill. Some law enforcement officers sustained minor injuries in the incident.
“We watched a lot of fear among the men and women at UNLV today. It’s unfortunate they had to go through that,” McMahill said.
Sunrise Hospital & Medical Center confirmed it treated three patients brought to the facility from the scene.
UNLV student Mike Henderson told ABC News that he was in a hallway when the shooting started and immediately ran into a classroom and sheltered in place.
He said he was later escorted out by police and saw someone with their face down, bleeding.
“[It’s] not something I thought would ever happen to me personally,” he said.
In his message to the university community on Wednesday night, President Whitfield called the incident “unfathomable.”
“We’re all still in shock as we process the unfathomable event,” he wrote. “Members of our community lost their lives, and others were injured. My heart aches for our UNLV family. I know all of us are sending our love and support to the victims, their families, and friends during this difficult time.”
