LAS VEGAS – Burglars targeted the home of Naoko Takemaru, one of the three professors killed in a mass shooting at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas on December 6th. Takemaru, 69, was tragically murdered, and the burglars took advantage of the situation by ransacking her home on December 26th. The Las Vegas police found her residence ransacked, with no information on what items were taken from the property.
It is reported that the burglars seemed to have known that Takemaru lived alone, leaving her vulnerable to a break-in. A concerned neighbor attempted to intervene when she saw an unknown woman leaving the premises with several items. The neighbor immediately called 911, but the woman’s face was covered, as were the faces of the two men waiting in a getaway car.
The shooting at UNLV was carried out by Tony Polito, who used a legally purchased Taurus 9mm handgun and 11 loaded magazines to kill Takemaru and two other professors. The 67-year-old former adjunct professor, who had not been employed by UNLV, was involved in a shootout with the police and was killed. Police discovered that Polito had applied for multiple positions at UNLV in 2019 and was repeatedly passed over.
Naoko Takemaru was known as an associate professor of Japanese Studies and was a respected member of the university. In honor of Takemaru and the other victims, the UNLV Foundation established scholarships to commemorate their memory.
The incident not only highlights the devastating impact of the mass shooting but also sheds light on the vulnerability of victims’ homes and the need for increased security measures. The community continues to mourn the loss of three valued members and seeks to find ways to prevent similar tragedies in the future.
In conclusion, the burglary at Naoko Takemaru’s home following her tragic death further adds to the distress caused by the mass shooting at UNLV. The community continues to honor the memory of the victims and seeks to prevent similar tragedies in the future.