On a sorrowful Wednesday, the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) community faced an immense loss. Among the three individuals tragically killed was Dr. Cha Jan “Jerry” Chang, a distinguished alumnus of the University of Pittsburgh. His academic journey was marked by notable achievements. After earning a master’s degree in management information systems from Pitt in 1995, Chang further excelled by completing his Ph.D. in the same field in 2001. His curriculum vitae reflects a career dedicated to academia and knowledge.
A Committed Educator at UNLV
Since 2014, Dr. Chang has been a pillar in the Lee Business School Department of Management, Entrepreneurship, and Technology at UNLV. As a professor, he was known for his dedication to his students and his commitment to educational excellence. His untimely demise, due to a gunshot wound to the head as confirmed by the Clark County Coroner’s Office, has left a void in the academic community that will be hard to fill.
A Day of Tragedy and Loss
The same incident also resulted in the tragic loss of UNLV Assistant Professor Patricia Navarro Velez, 39, who succumbed to multiple gunshot wounds. The identity of the third victim, another esteemed member of the UNLV faculty, has yet to be disclosed. The suspect in this heartbreaking incident was Anthony Polito, 67, a man whose aspirations to join the academic ranks at UNLV went unfulfilled. After the fatal shootings, Polito was fatally shot by police, bringing a tragic end to a day marked by violence and loss.