A mass shooting at Brown University during final exam week left two students dead and nine others injured, prompting a large law enforcement response and a multi-day manhunt that ended with the suspected gunman’s death, authorities said.
The shooting occurred around 4 p.m. on Dec. 13 inside the Barus and Holley building, which houses classrooms and laboratories for the university’s engineering and physics departments. Students were attending an academic review session when a gunman entered the room and opened fire, according to investigators.
Two undergraduate students were killed at the scene. Nine others were wounded and transported to Rhode Island Hospital. Medical officials later said all nine survivors were in stable condition, with most released in the days following the attack.
The incident sent shockwaves through college campuses nationwide, particularly as students across the country were preparing for or completing final exams.
“It’s unsettling to think that something like that can happen during something as normal as studying for finals,” junior Adrien Cheah said.
University officials immediately ordered a campuswide shelter-in-place as hundreds of officers from local, state and federal agencies converged on College Hill. The response included the Providence Police Department, Rhode Island State Police, the FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Emergency alerts sent during the incident warned students and faculty to avoid the area and remain indoors. Classes and exams were suspended for the remainder of the week as the university shifted to emergency operations.
“Even though it wasn’t my campus, it made me think about how vulnerable college environments can be,” junior Ella Fredrick said
Authorities released surveillance images of a person of interest and requested assistance from the public. A man was detained the following day in Coventry, R.I., but investigators later said he was not connected to the shooting. The search expanded as law enforcement agencies tracked new leads across state lines.
On Dec. 18, officials identified the suspect as Cláudio Manuel Neves Valente, 48, a former Brown graduate student with no current affiliation to the university. He was found dead from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound inside a storage unit in Salem, N.H. Two firearms were recovered at the scene, authorities said.
Investigators also examined a possible connection between the Brown shooting and the fatal shooting of a physics professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology two days later. Authorities said evidence indicated the same individual was responsible for both incidents, though no motive has been publicly identified.
The events renewed broader concerns about campus safety, particularly among students considering college in the near future.
“As someone who’s starting to think seriously about college, it’s scary to see something like this happen at a school people view as secure,” freshman Emma Cohen said.
In the days following the shooting, memorials appeared across Brown’s campus, including flowers, candles and handwritten messages placed near academic buildings and gathering spaces. Vigils drew students, faculty and staff as the community mourned those killed and injured.
Images of the memorials circulated widely on social media, extending the impact of the tragedy far beyond Providence.
“Seeing the memorials made it feel more personal,” junior Eden Rosenberg said. “It reminded me that the victims were students just trying to get through finals.”
Federal agencies established a Student Access and Support Center in Providence to assist victims and their families. Counseling services were expanded, and the university offered academic accommodations, including flexible exam schedules and optional remote coursework.
The shooting also prompted scrutiny of campus safety procedures. The U.S. Department of Education announced a review under the Clery Act, the federal law governing campus crime reporting and emergency notifications. The review will assess whether Brown complied with requirements related to timely warnings and public alerts.
In early January, Brown University President Christina H. Paxson announced a campuswide initiative focused on recovery and long-term safety planning. The program emphasizes mental health support, physical security improvements and community rebuilding as students prepare for the spring semester.
University officials said planning is underway for permanent memorials and continued support services. Investigators said the case remains open as authorities continue to review the events leading up to the attack.
