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NEW details have emerged about the University of Nevada Las Vegas mass shooting suspect.
Anthony Polito, 67, shot and killed three people and wounded a fourth on the college campus on Wednesday, according to police.
LIST OF TARGETS
During a search of Polito’s home, police found a list of targets.
It was revealed on Thursday that the mass shooter went to a post office and mailed 22 letters containing an unknown white powder substance before he shot up the school.
The white powder was later found to be harmless, but the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department has warned any person or institution that receives a letter with no return address to proceed with caution and contact law enforcement immediately.
RIGIDLY ORGANIZED
It has now been revealed that the suspected killer was an eccentric semi-retired college professor who had an eerie obsession with Las Vegas.
Polito applied for a teaching a job at UNLV in 2020 but wasn’t selected, law enforcement officials told NBC News.
Polito worked as an associate professor at East Carolina University in the department of Marketing and supply chain management from 2001 to 2017.
Students say was known for being a nice professor who was rigidly organized. He reportedly didn’t take attendance, give many tests or require students to have a textbook.
One of his grad assistants, T.J. Strickland, 37, told NBC News: “He was peculiar about how things in his office should be.
“If it wasn’t right, then we’re completely redoing it.”
‘STRANGE PERSONALITY’
Strickland added: “He had a strange personality but was always super nice.”
“You really don’t know people sometimes and what they have going on. This is the perfect example of that,” he said.
Several of his former students have spoken out about their experiences with the professor.
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One said he was obsessed with his students – and not always in a good way.
The student said the suspected killer made her uncomfortable, by buying her gifts and contacting her daily.
Another said Polito was obsessed with his student’s feedback and opinions of him.
VEGAS OBSESSION
Paul Whittington, 33, of Garner North Carolina told the outlet he wasn’t surprised that police named Polito as the UNLV gunman.
“My immediate reaction was it had to be Tony Polito,” Whittington told the outlet.
“I didn’t say that because I thought he was capable of anything like that.
“I didn’t say that because I thought that’s the kind of person that he was.
“I said that because my entire time in his class — he was obsessed with Las Vegas,” Whittington added.
Several students recalled Polito talking about all the hotels and restaurants he loved in Vegas and would often give them recommendations on where to go if they visited the city.
‘RUN, HIDE, FIGHT’
Around 11:45 am local time on Wednesday, police responded to UNLV, after receiving reports that shots were fired.
The university is situated 15 minutes away from the Las Vegas Strip and Mandalay Bay Resort Casino where the deadliest shooting in the United States occurred in 2017
Law enforcement quickly arrived on scene and evacuated everyone from the campus.
They sent out a text to students that said: “This is not a drill. Run, Hide, Fight.”
Police located and shot and killed Polito about 45 minutes after the first 911 call was made.
