2 UNLV professors killed in UNLV campus shooting identified
LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — Two of the three people killed in the shooting on UNLV’s campus Wednesday have been identified by the Clark County coroner’s office.
The victims are Professor Cha Jan “Jerry” Chang, 64, of Henderson, Nevada, and Assistant Professor Patricia Navarro Velez, 39, of Las Vegas.
According to the coroner, the cause of death for Chang was a gunshot wound to the head and the cause of death for Velez was multiple gunshot wounds. The third victim, also a UNLV faculty member, has been identified, but a name has not been released. The coroner’s office is working to identify the legal next of kin.
Chang’s academic experience shows he has been teaching at UNLV since 2001, most recently at the Lee Business School. He’s had a variety of journal publications and has been a featured speaker at numerous presentations and conferences.
Navarro’s teaching interests were in accounting information systems. She was researching cybersecurity disclosures and assurance, internal control weakness disclosure, and data analytics. She was a certified information systems auditor.
The coroner’s office released this statement: “On behalf of the office, our deepest condolences to the families of the victims and those impacted by this tragic event.”
The Nevada System of Higher Education released a statement shortly after the identifications were made.
The statement read:
“It is with heavy hearts that we extend our deepest condolences to the entire community
affected by the tragic events that unfolded yesterday at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas
(UNLV). There are no words to adequately express the sorrow and anguish we feel for the
lives lost and the devastating impact this has had on our community.
Our thoughts are first and foremost with the families and friends of those who lost their
lives. We stand with you in your grief and offer our unwavering support during this
unimaginably difficult time. The presence of those lost will be sorely missed and their
memory will forever remain in our hearts.
To the survivors, students, faculty, and everyone impacted, we recognize the trauma and
shock that this event has caused. In these moments of grief and uncertainty, our primary
focus remains to provide comprehensive support to those impacted and to ensure the
collective well-being of our UNLV campus community as well as to every student, faculty
member and support staff within the family of the Nevada System of Higher Education.
Please know that there are resources and community support to help you navigate through
this challenging time. We are committed to delivering essential resources and assistance.
Counseling and support services are readily available, and we strongly encourage anyone
impacted to seek assistance. Please visit https://www.UNLV.edu for those resources and to
get the latest updates. Additionally, Clark County provides services through the Family
Assistance Center of Southern Nevada. For assistance and support, please visit
https://www.facofsouthernnevada.org or contact 702-455-AIDE (2433).
The Board of Regents and System Office stand in solidarity with UNLV, supporting the
ongoing multi-agency investigation led by the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department.
We are profoundly grateful for the swift and courageous response demonstrated by the
University Police Department, the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, Clark County
Fire, and all of the emergency responders, and medical professionals who were on campus
yesterday and continue to work through the investigations.
In this time of profound loss, may we draw strength from our unity. Our thoughts, prayers,
and deepest sympathies are with everyone affected by this heartbreaking incident.”
Byron Brooks, Chairman, NSHE Board of Regents, & Patricia Charlton, Interim Chancellor
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