UNLV mass shooting victims: 3 professors ID'd
Three faculty members were killed and one faculty member was injured in a mass shooting at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas on Wednesday.
The suspect -- who had applied for a college professorship at UNLV, but was not hired, according to sources -- died at the scene following a firefight with police.
Here's what we know about the victims:
Cha Jan Chang
Cha Jan Chang, 64, who was known as "Jerry," was a UNLV business professor who lived in Henderson, Nevada, according to the Clark County coroner.
Chang was an assistant professor at UNLV from 2001 to 2007 and had been an associate professor since 2007.
He received both his masters and Ph.D. from the University of Pittsburgh.
"Dr. Chang was a longtime educator of management information systems, spending more than 20 years of his academic career teaching a generation of UNLV Lee Business School students," UNLV President Keith Whitfield said in a statement on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter.
K.C. Tan, the professor of operations management in the Lee Business School, said Chang was a "rigorous researcher" who "deeply loved" teaching during a press conference on Friday.
Chang is survived by his wife and two children, Tan said.
Patricia Navarro Velez
Patricia Navarro Velez, 39, was an assistant professor in accounting at UNLV and lived in Las Vegas, according to the coroner.
She had a Ph.D. from the University of Central Florida.
"Navarro's current research focuses on cybersecurity disclosures and assurance, internal control weakness disclosure, and data analytics," her UNLV biography said.
"Dr. Navarro-Velez, an assistant professor of accounting, had devoted her career to educating the next generation of accountants," Whitfield said. "She joined UNLV nearly 5 years ago as a professor of accounting, where she focused on teaching accounting information systems."
Navarro, a native of Puerto Rico, worked for a large public accounting firm before choosing to return to the classroom as a professor to "share her passion" for accounting and information systems, Jason Smith, the chair of UNLV's accounting department, said at the Friday press event.
"She had a larger-than-life personality and infectious smile, and a genuine kindness that made everyone around her feel like family," Smith said.
She is survived by her husband and four children, Smith said.
Naoko Takemaru
Naoko Takemaru, 69, a Las Vegas resident, was an associate professor of Japanese studies at UNLV, according to the coroner and the university.
"Dr. Takemaru coordinated Japanese language programs and taught numerous courses on Japanese culture, business, and language. She was incredibly dedicated to her students, having earned the premier teaching award from the College of Liberal Arts," the university's president said. "She was a noted scholar, author, and award-winning educator, who just recently marked her 20th year as a member of UNLV's faculty."
Margaret Harp, UNLV's French program director, said Takemaru was an "inspiring teacher" whose courses were always full.
"I hope we will also remember her for her multiple talents," Harp said at the Friday press event, noting that Takemaru was a professional concert pianist before becoming a professor, "embroidered beautifully" and brought her colleagues homemade chocolates every holiday season.
"We are better people for having known you, we are bereft at losing you," Harp said.
