Shooting at Brown University Leaves Two Dead, Nine Wounded During Final Exams
A harrowing shooting at Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island, on Saturday left at least two people dead and nine others injured during final exams, prompting a massive police search for the suspect. The incident unfolded on the Ivy League campus, sending shockwaves through the academic community and beyond.
Authorities were alerted to the shooting in the afternoon, initiating a widespread response that involved officers scouring academic buildings, backyards, and porches in the surrounding affluent neighborhood. The search continued late into the night as investigators worked to identify and apprehend the perpetrator.
According to Brown University President Christina Paxson, at least 10 of those shot were students. An additional individual sustained injuries from fragments during the shooting, though their student status remains unconfirmed.
The suspect is described as a man in dark clothing, last seen departing the engineering building where the attack originated, stated Timothy O’Hara, deputy chief of Providence police. Security footage captured the suspect walking away from the building, but his face was obscured. Witnesses reported the individual, believed to be in his 30s, may have been wearing a camouflage mask.
Investigators are currently working to determine how the shooter gained access to the first-floor classroom. While outer doors of the building were unlocked, rooms designated for final examinations required badge access, according to Providence’s mayor.
The incident has understandably shaken the city. “The unthinkable has happened,” declared Democratic Rhode Island Gov. Dan McKee, vowing to dedicate all available resources to the apprehension of the suspect. Mayor Brett Smiley implemented a shelter-in-place order, urging residents near the campus to remain indoors until the order is lifted. The normally vibrant streets surrounding the university were eerily quiet in the wake of the tragedy. “The Brown community’s heart is breaking, and Providence’s heart is breaking along with it,” Smiley added.
Eyewitness accounts paint a picture of the chaos and fear that gripped the campus. Emma Ferraro, a chemical engineering student, recounted hearing loud pops while working on a final project in the building’s lobby. Realizing the sounds were gunshots, she immediately fled to a nearby building for safety, sheltering there for several hours.
Nine individuals with gunshot wounds were transported to Rhode Island Hospital. Hospital spokesperson Kelly Brennan reported that one patient was in critical condition, six required intensive care but were stable, and two were listed as stable.
The initial response from university officials indicated a suspect was in custody, but this information was later retracted. The mayor clarified that an individual initially considered a person of interest was detained but subsequently cleared of any involvement. After nearly five hours, officers in tactical gear began evacuating students from campus buildings, directing them to a fitness center.
The shooting occurred within the Barus & Holley building, a seven-story complex housing the School of Engineering and the physics department. The building contains over 100 laboratories, numerous classrooms, and offices, and was actively hosting engineering design exams at the time of the attack.
Interestingly, Eva Erickson, a doctoral candidate and recent contestant on the CBS reality show “Survivor,” had just left the engineering building 15 minutes before the shooting. Erickson, who was the show’s first openly autistic contestant, shared on social media that the other member of her lab present on campus had been safely evacuated.
Another student, Alex Bruce, a biochemistry student, described being “shaken” while witnessing a half-dozen armed officers surrounding his dorm across the street from the building. Students in nearby labs reportedly hid under desks and turned off the lights after receiving alerts about the active shooter. Mari Camara, a junior from New York City, sought refuge in a local taqueria after fleeing the library, spending over three hours there while police conducted their search.
Brown University, the seventh oldest higher education institution in the United States, boasts approximately 7,300 undergraduates and over 3,000 graduate students. The annual cost of tuition, housing, and fees is nearly $100,000.
Former President Donald Trump stated he had been briefed on the situation, offering his prayers for the victims. The shooting also reignites the debate surrounding gun control, particularly in a state like Rhode Island, which already has some of the strictest gun laws in the nation. Last spring, the state legislature passed an assault weapon ban, set to take effect in July, prohibiting the sale and manufacturing of certain high-powered firearms, though not their possession.
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The investigation remains ongoing as authorities continue their search for the suspect and work to piece together the events that led to this tragic incident.
