LAS VEGAS (FOX5) — New details were released Wednesday about the day a gunman walked onto the UNLV campus in December 2023 and killed three faculty members.
Clark County held a public fact-finding review. The deadly shooting happened Dec. 6, 2023, at Frank and Estella Beam Hall. Police say the gunman came to campus heavily armed.
They say he had three fully-loaded magazine pouches on him containing more than 950 rounds. Officers described seeing the suspect, but said they thought he was another faculty member. Those assumptions were proved wrong when he pulled out his weapon.
Investigators testified about what happened next.
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“As they exited the building, Detective Drum moved down the stairs toward the male, and Detective Garcia maintained a position at the top of the stairs to make sure nobody came up behind them,” police said. “Detective Garcia observed the male turn, reach into his bag, and point a gun directly at Detective Drum and began firing as Detective Drum dodged out of the way.”
Police officials said the shooter may have killed at least one police officer if his gun had not jammed.
Another officer returned fire, and the gunman died at the scene. They say that after his death, they found a number of index cards with faculty members’ names on them in the shooter’s briefcase, but the names of the three victims were not among them.
In the aftermath of the shooting, UNLV started a group to remember the tragedy and prevent future tragedies called “UNLV Strong.” The group holds events throughout the year to remember and honor the victims, support survivors, and talk about safety and mental health.
There are also resources available for anyone who may need counseling. For more information, visit this website.
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