A person of interest has been taken into custody following a devastating shooting that occurred at Brown University during final exams, resulting in the loss of two students' lives and injuring nine others. The incident, which unfolded on Saturday afternoon, sent shockwaves through the Ivy League campus and the surrounding neighborhoods of Providence, Rhode Island, leading to hours of chaos and a massive police response.
The shooting prompted a swift lockdown as hundreds of law enforcement officers scoured the campus for the shooter, urging students and staff to shelter in place. This lockdown extended into the night, and although it was lifted early Sunday morning, crucial questions regarding the motive behind the attack remain unanswered. The individual taken into custody is a 24-year-old man from Wisconsin, as per sources familiar with the investigation who spoke on the condition of anonymity.
Col. Oscar Perez, the police chief of Providence, confirmed that the detained individual is in their twenties. He stated that no charges have been filed yet and refrained from commenting on whether this person had any connection to Brown University. The arrest took place at a Hampton Inn hotel in Coventry, approximately 20 miles from Providence, where FBI agents and police continued their investigation, cordoning off areas with crime scene tape.
The shooting disrupted one of the busiest times of the academic year, coinciding with final exams. In response to the tragedy, Brown University announced the cancellation of all remaining classes, exams, papers, and projects for the semester, allowing students to leave campus if they wished. This decision underscores the enormity of the disruption and the seriousness of the attack.
As the police searched for the shooter, many students barricaded themselves in their rooms or sought refuge behind furniture. Eyewitness accounts reveal the fear and panic as students in a library reacted to the sounds of gunfire, only to be rescued by law enforcement shortly thereafter. Brown President Christina Paxson expressed her heartfelt concern for the students, stating, “They are amazing and they’re supporting each other... There’s just a lot of gratitude.”
The gunman reportedly opened fire inside a classroom located in the university’s engineering building, discharging over 40 rounds from a 9-millimeter handgun. As of Sunday morning, authorities had not yet recovered the firearm used in the attack but did locate two loaded 30-round magazines. One of the injured students has been released from the hospital, while the other eight remain in critical condition, with seven classified as stable.
Among the injured is Kendall Turner, a recent graduate of Durham Academy, a private K-12 school in Durham, North Carolina. The school confirmed that her parents are by her side, and they have expressed their unwavering support for her and her classmates during this difficult time.
In the wake of the shooting, Providence leaders have assured residents of a heightened police presence in the area. Many local businesses have also chosen to remain closed. A scheduled 5K run has been postponed for a week as the community grapples with the aftermath of the attack. Mayor Brett Smiley invited residents to gather at a city park for a previously planned event to light a Christmas tree and Hanukkah menorah. He emphasized the importance of coming together as a community to shine a light in these dark times.
Mayor Smiley remarked on the resilience of the wounded students, stating, “The courage, hope, and gratitude they exhibited are truly overwhelming.” One student mentioned that active shooter drills conducted during high school helped prepare them for such an emergency.
Investigators are still working to determine how the shooter gained access to the first-floor classroom in the Barus & Holley building, which houses the School of Engineering and physics department. Despite the outer doors being unlocked, access to the classrooms where exams were taking place typically required badge access, according to Mayor Smiley.
Emma Ferraro, a chemical engineering student, recounted her experience during the shooting. She was in the lobby working on a final project when she heard the gunshots and quickly fled to a nearby building, where she remained sheltered for hours. Surveillance footage later revealed a figure dressed in black leaving the scene.
Among the students who experienced the chaos was Eva Erickson, a doctoral candidate and former contestant on CBS's reality show “Survivor.” She left her lab just 15 minutes before the shooting began and was later locked down in the campus gym. Another student, Alex Bruce, was in his dorm across the street when he heard sirens and witnessed armed officers surrounding his building, leaving him shaken by the incident.
Brown University, founded in 1764, is not only the seventh-oldest institution of higher education in the United States but also ranks among the most prestigious colleges, serving approximately 7,300 undergraduates and over 3,000 graduate students. The university community is now left to navigate the aftermath of this tragic event, seeking healing and support in the days to come.