The UNLV campus was plunged into chaos as a disgruntled professor, Tony Pedo, went on a shooting spree. The release of the 911 calls paints a horrifying picture of the terror that unfolded that day.
One particular call stands out, as a woman desperately pleads for help while hiding just steps away from the gunman, Matt Rivers. The sound of gunfire echoes in the background as she frantically answers the dispatcher’s questions. When asked about the number of shots she heard, her voice trembles as she replies, “Like five… I’m hiding under my desk. Yes, I closed my door, it’s locked.”
The caller reveals that she heard screams before and after the shots, further intensifying the sense of fear and panic that gripped the campus. The urgency in her voice is palpable as she pleads for assistance, knowing that her life hangs in the balance.
Fortunately, officers arrived swiftly, their response captured on security video. The footage captures the harrowing shootout between an officer and the gunman. Bullets strike a nearby Ford Explorer, providing cover for a couple of faculty members who huddle behind it, desperately seeking safety.
As the investigation unfolds, it is revealed that Tony Pedo had been rejected from professorial positions at UNLV and other Nevada schools. Armed with a pistol and a chilling target list, Pedo entered the building with a vengeful mission. However, when he couldn’t locate his intended targets, he indiscriminately shot three professors who happened to be present.
Tragically, one of the victims killed was 69-year-old Nooku Takim Maru, an esteemed associate professor of Japanese studies. The motive behind Pedo’s actions remains under investigation, with police analyzing the 22 letters he allegedly sent to university employees across the country. Although the white powder found in those envelopes turned out to be harmless, it adds another layer of intrigue to this horrifying incident.
As the UNLV community grapples with the aftermath of this senseless act of violence, questions linger about what drove Pedo to commit such a heinous act. The chilling 911 calls serve as a haunting reminder of the terror that unfolded on that fateful day.
