Two people confirmed dead in shooting at Brown University, Rhode Island.
A shooting incident at Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island, left at least two individuals dead and eight others injured during the final exam period on Saturday, prompting an extensive search for the perpetrator by local law enforcement. Authorities reported that the shooting occurred in the vicinity of the Barus & Holley building, which houses the university’s School of Engineering and physics department and contains over 100 laboratories and various classrooms.
The suspect, described as a male in dark clothing, was last seen fleeing from the building where the gunfire erupted. Timothy O’Hara, the deputy chief of police, confirmed that law enforcement officers were aggressively combing through campus buildings and examining trash receptacles more than three hours after the shooting began. Mayor Brett Smiley announced that a shelter-in-place order was enacted, advising local residents to remain indoors and refrain from returning to the area until the directive was lifted.
The eight individuals injured in the incident were reported to be in critical but stable condition, although Mayor Smiley did not confirm whether they were students at the university. Initially, university officials alerted students and staff that a suspect had been taken into custody, only to later retract that information, stating that the investigation was ongoing and that they were still in search of one or more suspects. Mayor Smiley mentioned that an individual initially thought to be connected to the incident had been detained but was subsequently cleared of involvement.
Witness accounts highlight the tense atmosphere that enveloped the campus during the incident. Students, including biochemistry senior Alex Bruce, described the harrowing experience of hearing sirens and receiving notifications of an active shooter near their locations, prompting fears for peers who might have been inside the engineering building during the exams. Laboratory students reported taking cover under desks and turning off lights in response to the unfolding situation.
As the investigation progressed, law enforcement officials cautioned that information remained preliminary and multiple agencies, including the FBI, were mobilized to aid in the response. Brown University, which serves approximately 7,300 undergraduate and over 3,000 graduate students, found itself at the center of this tragic event during what should have been a time of academic completion and celebration, overshadowing the community with grief and uncertainty.
The administration’s commitment to ensuring the safety of students and staff was underscored as police continued their investigation into the circumstances surrounding the shooting.
