Suspect Held After Brown University Shooting Kills Two, Injures Nine

Authorities in Rhode Island detained a person of interest early Sunday in connection with a shooting that left two people dead and nine others injured on the Brown University campus in Providence. The individual, described by investigators as a man in his mid-20s from Wisconsin, was taken into custody at approximately 3:45 a.m. inside a Hampton Inn in Coventry, about 28 miles south of the university, according to the Providence Police Department.

Arrest and Evidence Seized

When officers entered the hotel room, the man was allegedly carrying two firearms. One of the weapons matched distinctive characteristics provided by witnesses who saw the gun during the attack, officials said. Both guns were seized for ballistic analysis, and urgent traces have been requested to determine their origins and ownership histories. Investigators are examining shell casings recovered at the crime scene to establish whether either weapon was used during the shooting.

Law enforcement sources indicated that the man is not enrolled at Brown University. Detectives are reviewing any potential links he might have to the institution, including social media activity, residence records and travel history. Search warrants were executed in multiple jurisdictions, and a thorough background check is under way to support possible criminal charges.

Police Response and Campus Impact

The shooting occurred Saturday afternoon inside the Barus & Holley building on Brown’s College Hill campus. The facility houses engineering and physics classrooms, and at the time of the incident a lecture hall was holding a final-exam review session. Gunfire was reported shortly after 3 p.m., prompting a shelter-in-place order across the university.

Two people were pronounced dead at the scene. Nine others sustained injuries of varying severity and were transported to local hospitals. As of Sunday afternoon, eight victims remained hospitalized: six listed in critical but stable condition, one in critical condition and one in stable condition, according to hospital officials. The ninth injured person had been treated and released.

Providence Police Chief Col. Oscar L. Perez Jr. told reporters that no additional suspects are being sought at this time. Investigators have not disclosed a motive and are continuing to gather surveillance footage, interview witnesses and process physical evidence.

Role of Federal Agencies

The search intensified overnight when local investigators obtained a tip that led them to the Coventry hotel. The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Cellular Analysis Survey Team provided geolocation support, and the FBI Boston Safe Streets Task Force worked with U.S. Marshals and Coventry police to coordinate the operation. More information on the FBI’s investigative resources is available on the agency’s official website.

Officials emphasized that the detained individual remains a person of interest rather than a charged suspect, but expressed confidence that the investigation is moving in the right direction. Detectives are expected to present findings to prosecutors once forensic results and interview summaries are complete.

Imagem: Internet

Campus and Community Reaction

The shelter-in-place directive for Brown University was lifted early Sunday after police secured the area surrounding the Barus & Holley building. University administrators said final examinations will be rescheduled for students affected by the disruption. Counseling services have been expanded, and a campus-wide moment of remembrance is being planned.

Providence Mayor Brett Smiley visited hospitalized students Sunday morning and later told residents that they could “breathe a little easier” following the detention. He acknowledged, however, that the incident underscores the frequency of gun violence on campuses nationwide and the importance of preparedness drills.

Witness accounts collected by police describe confusion inside the building as shots were fired. Students studying in common areas at first mistook the sound for construction noise before realizing an active shooter was present. Many evacuated through two main exits while others sheltered in nearby rooms until authorities arrived.

Ongoing Investigation

Investigators are continuing to canvass businesses and residences near the university for additional security camera footage and are asking anyone with cellphone video recorded around the time of the shooting to contact a dedicated tip line. Forensic teams are comparing ballistic evidence from the scene with state and national databases to determine whether either firearm recovered in Coventry has been used in previous crimes.

Officials have not released the names of the deceased pending notification of family members. Autopsies are scheduled at the state medical examiner’s office. Additional updates are expected as detectives finalize interviews, laboratory reports and electronic data analyses.

Crédito da imagem: Steven Senne/AP