A tragic shooting incident occurred at Brown University, leaving two dead and nine injured, according to official reports. The assailant, dressed in black, attacked an engineering building on the Ivy League campus, causing widespread fear and prompting a lockdown in parts of Providence, Rhode Island. The suspect remains at large, despite an ongoing manhunt.
Providence Mayor Brett Smiley expressed his sorrow at a press conference, stating that this was a day they had hoped would never come. The victims, including the two deceased and eight critically injured, were all students. A ninth victim, who suffered minor injuries from bullet fragments, had an unknown status.
The incident was reported around 4:05 p.m., with the shooting taking place in a first-floor classroom of the Barus & Holley Engineering building. The day of the incident coincided with the university’s final exams. Providence’s deputy police chief, Tim O’Hara, stated that the police response was swift, but the suspect was not located at the time.
Initial reports suggested that a suspect had been apprehended, a claim that was later retracted. The suspect, described as a male in his 30s dressed in black, used a handgun in the attack. Authorities have not recovered a weapon and it remains unclear how the suspect gained entry into the building.
The university issued an alert to students shortly after the incident, advising them of an active shooter near the engineering school building. A second alert was sent out claiming a suspect had been arrested, but this was quickly retracted. The campus remained under shelter-in-place orders as of Saturday night.
One student, Katie Sun, described the terrifying experience to the school’s newspaper, The Brown Daily Herald. She was studying in the Engineering Research Center lobby when she heard gunshots coming from the direction of the classrooms.
The classrooms where the finals were taking place required a swipe card for entry, but the building itself was open to the public. Of the eight victims initially reported in critical but stable condition, one is now in critical and unstable condition, and another is stable, according to Brown University Health hospital.
Rhode Island Governor Dan Mckee expressed his commitment to catching the perpetrator, stating that he had spoken with President Trump, who assured him of federal support. As the investigation continues, the community remains in shock and mourning.