A mass shooting tragically erupted on the campus of Brown University on Saturday afternoon, the second day of fall final exams, leaving at least two people dead and eight others critically injured. The Ivy League institution immediately issued an active shooter alert, plunging the campus and surrounding community into a frantic shelter-in-place order as police launched a massive manhunt for the gunman.
Attack Occurred in Engineering Building
The shooting took place around 4:05 p.m. EST inside the Barus and Holley Engineering building, a seven-story complex that also houses the university's Physics Department. University Provost Francis J. Doyle III confirmed that students were actively taking final examinations in the building when the shots were fired.
- Casualties: Providence Mayor Brett Smiley confirmed the fatalities and reported that eight other victims were transported to local hospitals in critical but stable condition.
- Active Shooter Alert: Brown University sent immediate alerts via its emergency notification system, urging all students and staff to "Run, Hide, Fight" and to "lock doors, silence phones and stay hidden until further notice."
- Location: Barus and Holley Engineering Building, Brown University campus.
Suspect Remains at Large
Law enforcement agencies, including the Providence Police Department, State Police, and the FBI, converged on the campus in a widespread search. Initial alerts from the university mistakenly reported that a suspect was in custody, a statement that was quickly retracted.
- Suspect Description: Police described the assailant as a male dressed in all black. He was last seen exiting the Barus and Holley building on the Hope Street side.
- Search Underway: Mayor Smiley emphasized that the shooter remains at large, urging the public in the greater Brown University area to continue sheltering in place and to avoid the area.
Providence Mayor Brett Smiley expressed deep sorrow at the tragedy, stating, "Sadly, today is a day the city of Providence and the state of Rhode Island prayed would never come." The incident marks a devastating interruption to the university's final exam period and has left the community grappling with profound shock and fear.
