UPDATED: UNLV Campus Mass Shooting Sees Three Fatalities, Shooter Dead

Posted on: December 6, 2023, 04:10h. 

Last updated on: December 9, 2023, 03:11h.

Ed Silverstein @casinoorgedsilv Read More

Expertise: Legal, Tribal Gaming.

A mass shooter is dead after he killed at least three victims on the UNLV campus at about noon on Wednesday, according to media and police reports. Panicked students rushed for cover and hid in campus buildings.

At least one victim was in critical condition at a local hospital as of late Wednesday afternoon. Based on initial statements from the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department (LVMPD), several people were injured during the shooting spree.

The shots were fired in or near the campus Frank and Estella Beam Hall. The building houses the UNLV Lee Business School. There were also initial reports of shots being fired in or near the UNLV student union, which is close to Beam Hall.

One economics faculty member, Stephen Miller, told Casino.org he was in his fifth-floor office in Beam Hall when the fire alarm sounded.

I went down the stairwell. Half way down, I heard many sirens. When I exited the stairwell, I saw students running away from the building,” Miller told Casino.org. “I followed the crowd away from the building.”

Shortly after leaving Beam Hall, he received a text from UNLV, Miller revealed. It warned there was an active shooter and gave safety instructions.

Students, Staff Take Shelter

During the gunfire, students and staff were ordered by campus police to find safe shelter. Later, they were told to shelter in place. Police were evacuating campus buildings gradually after the shooter died.

No names of victims were released.

LVMPD officers rushed to the campus after they were alerted about the presence of an active shooter.

We all walked out of the building hands up,” a student told KVVU. “They evacuated us out of the student union. We walked past one of the windows, the window was shot through, glass everywhere.”

“About 200 kids all in one space,” she further described the situation in the student union. “A lot of people were panicking.”

Some students hid in classrooms while the shooting spree unfolded, according to Las Vegas TV station KLAS.

One student, Matthew, told the station he pushed six tables against a classroom door to protect himself from the gunman.

It’s very scary when you go to a college campus as open as this one,” he added. “People are scared now because every time you step on a college campus, there are shootings every single year now. I wasn’t even close to it and I’m still scared out of my mind right now.”

White House Issues Statement

On Wednesday afternoon, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said in a briefing that she had just been informed of the shooting.

Obviously, we’re going to continue to monitor what’s currently occurring,” Jean-Pierre said. “I don’t want to get ahead of what local enforcement are probably dealing with at this time.”

President Joe Biden is scheduled to visit Las Vegas on Friday.

Because of police activity, Maryland Parkway was closed near the campus. Motorists were advised to avoid the neighborhood.

This is a developing story that will be updated as more information becomes available.