A detective with Metro Police entered the meeting room at University Church Las Vegas for an announcement: He instructed the UNLV students and staff who were sheltering at the church on Maryland Parkway across from the university to raise their hand if they were on campus for the late Wednesday morning shooting.
Most in the room of about 50 from the UNLV community, many of whom were still in shock from what transpired, raised their hands. They formed a line to be questioned, each with details of how they sought safety and what they saw and heard.
Three people were fatally injured and one wounded in a shooting at the Lee Business School, Sheriff Kevin McMahill said. Campus police “neutralized” the shooter, who was pronounced dead at the scene, he said. No motive was immediately given.
University Church located across the street from the UNLV campus, offered help and water to students seeking shelter during the active shooting. Students who were at the scene lined up for interviews with Metro on Wednesday, December 6, 2023.
Drew Trenholm, a senior in the UNLV jazz band, was changing out of his performance uniform when the alert to seek shelter came. He eventually made it safely across the street to the church, leaving behind his music and school equipment.
Still partially in his uniform with black slacks and a white undershirt, he pulled out his phone to send a message to loved ones. His brother, Torin, is also a student at the university, but wasn’t on campus.
“The first thing I did was message my parents that I was OK,” he said.
About 30,000 students attend UNLV; not all of them were on campus. There’s countless other faculty and staff. Many of those involved made it to physical safety — but the mental scars will be long-standing.
A young man who did not want to give his name waited in the shade at the church doors, still wearing the smock he had on when his art class was told to shelter in place.
He said he was working on his final project for his advanced painting class, “then all of a sudden, this happens. The alerts came over the public address and text.”
Campus will be closed the rest of the week, officials said. The university is still determining how to approach finals next week.
The Rev. Stephen Govett has a congregation of about 130 churchgoers at University Church, about 18 of whom are UNLV students. But on this day it was about ministering to the many students and staffers seeking refuge.
The Methodist church provided water and snacks, comfort and compassion — and will continue to do so in the coming days.
“Our message was, ‘We are here for you. However you need us,’ ” he said.
Govett, who was wearing street clothes and not his minister’s collar, buzzed between the church offices and meeting room talking with those seeking shelter. It was important, he said, for anyone in need to have someone to speak with.
“We want everyone at UNLV to know they are in our hearts and in our prayers,” he said. “It’s an awful day for the victims — for all of us. It’s important to have compassion.
That was how Metro Police approached counseling the students.
One officer told the assembled students to wait for updates from law enforcement and not rely on what they were seeing on social media, where inaccurate accounts indicated there were multiple shooters and that fatalities were in the double digits. Later, the officer assured them they were safe — and the words seemed to calm tensions.
A bus transported those at the church and other shelters near campus to the reunification center at the Las Vegas Convention Center. There, students were met by mental health providers and therapy dogs. Those on hand included staff from the Vegas Strong Resiliency Center and Clark County’s Social Services Department, officials said.
People who know someone that may have been at UNLV at the time of the shooting can also call 702-455-2433 or visit facofsouthernnevada.org to coordinate seeking help.
The same is true at University Church Las Vegas, Govett said. The church doors, just like Wednesday, will remain open to all.
The Sun’s Hillary Davis contributed to this story.