A deadly shooting at Brown University in Rhode Island has left two students dead and nine injured. The campus remains under lockdown as police launch a massive manhunt for the unidentified gunman.
Ivy League campus locked down after a gunman opened fire during exams; over 400 officers deployed as police hunt the suspect.
A shocking shooting at Brown University in Rhode Island has left two students dead and nine others injured, triggering a massive police operation and forcing the Ivy League campus into lockdown.
According to officials, more than 400 law enforcement personnel were deployed on Saturday as police searched for the suspect, who opened fire inside a campus building while students were taking exams.
The university in Providence remained under a shelter-in-place order hours after the attack, even though authorities said there was no indication of an immediate, ongoing threat.
Providence Mayor Brett Smiley said the lockdown was necessary to allow police to conduct the initial phase of the investigation. “The shelter-in-place allows law enforcement to do their work,” he said.
Shooting During Exams, Suspect Still At Large
Police said the suspect entered Brown’s Barus & Holley engineering building, where outer doors were unlocked due to ongoing exams, and opened fire inside a classroom before fleeing the scene.
Officials released surveillance video of the suspect, described as a male possibly in his 30s, dressed in black, and possibly wearing a mask. The individual has not yet been identified.
Investigators recovered shell casings from the scene, but said it was too early to release further details. Police are also looking into why the building was targeted.
Campus on Edge, Students Hid Under Desks
Brown University President Christina Paxson confirmed that all or nearly all of the victims were students. “This is the day one hopes never happens, and it has,” she said.
Of the nine injured, seven were listed in critical condition late Saturday, according to Brown University Health.
As news of the shooting spread, students were instructed to take shelter. One student, Chiang-Heng Chien, told local media that he and three others hid under lab desks for nearly two hours after receiving an alert about an active shooter nearby.
Citywide Search Complicated by Crowds
The manhunt was complicated by holiday shoppers and large crowds attending concerts and events across the city. Streets around the campus were flooded with emergency vehicles, and security was tightened throughout Providence.
Agencies including the FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) joined local and state police in the search. Authorities said they are reviewing videos and following up on public tips, though none have led to the suspect so far.
Rhode Island Governor Daniel McKee vowed justice, saying, “We’re going to make sure that we catch the individual that brought so much suffering to so many people.”
National Reaction and Gun Violence Context
President Donald Trump said he had been briefed on the incident, calling it “terrible” and urging prayers for the victims and those seriously injured.
The shooting adds to the growing list of mass shootings in the United States. According to the Gun Violence Archive, there have been 389 mass shootings in the U.S. this year, including at least six at schools. Last year saw more than 500 such incidents.
Brown sophomore Zoe Weissman, who survived the 2018 Parkland school shooting and has since advocated for an assault weapons ban, expressed her anguish. “I’m numb, and I’m angry,” she said. “I’m shocked, but I’m not surprised.”
The investigation remains ongoing, with police urging anyone with information to come forward as the campus and surrounding neighborhoods stay on high alert.
