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Manhunt Underway After Gunman Kills Two, Wounds Nine in Brown University Campus Attack
PROVIDENCE, R.I. — A massive manhunt involving hundreds of law enforcement officers is underway in Providence, Rhode Island, after a gunman opened fire inside a building at Brown University on Saturday afternoon, killing two students and wounding nine others during final examinations.
The shooting, which officials called "unthinkable," shattered the normally quiet Ivy League campus. The suspect remains at large, and authorities have issued a widespread shelter-in-place order for the university and surrounding neighborhoods.
The attack occurred around 4:05 p.m. EST in a first-floor classroom inside the Barus and Holley Building, which houses the School of Engineering and Physics Department. Students were gathered inside for an introductory economics review session when the violence erupted.
Providence Mayor Brett Smiley confirmed the casualties late Saturday night, stating that two individuals were deceased and nine others were wounded. Brown University President Christina Paxson later stated that all victims, both killed and injured, were believed to be Brown students. Seven of the injured victims were transported to Rhode Island Hospital, with most listed in critical but stable condition.
Suspect Remains at Large
Law enforcement agencies, including the Providence Police, State Police, FBI, and ATF, have flooded the College Hill area, deploying over 400 personnel in the search for the shooter.
Providence Deputy Police Chief Timothy O’Hara described the suspect as a male dressed entirely in dark clothing who fled the building on foot immediately following the attack. Surveillance footage was released by police showing a person of interest wearing dark gray or black attire and a hood or hat, but the individual’s face was obscured, and no weapon was visible in the footage.
Officials initially detained an individual near campus, but that person was later cleared and released, leading to an immediate retraction of an earlier university alert that a suspect was in custody.
“We are utilizing every resource possible to find this suspect,” Deputy Chief O’Hara said in a late-night press conference, stressing the urgency of the situation.
Campus in Lockdown, Exams Canceled
The shooting brought the Brown University campus to a standstill as students and faculty scrambled for cover. Many students hid under desks in nearby labs and libraries, while others sheltered for hours in dorms and local businesses, communicating with family via text message.
"Everyone is the same as me, shocked and terrified that something like this happened," said Mari Camara, a 20-year-old junior who rushed into a nearby taqueria to seek shelter.
Mayor Smiley noted that the outer doors of the Barus and Holley building were unlocked due to the ongoing final exam period, suggesting the access to the building was not strictly controlled at the time of the shooting.
As the manhunt continues into Sunday, the university has canceled all final exams scheduled for the day and is coordinating the evacuation of students from academic and administrative buildings within the established police perimeter to secure locations.
Rhode Island Governor Dan McKee released a statement calling the attack a "deeply tragic day" and vowing that all state resources would be directed toward apprehending the shooter. The motive for the attack is currently unknown.
