PROVIDENCE, R.I. – A massive manhunt is underway following a deadly shooting at Brown University’s campus that resulted in two student fatalities and nine individuals injured, sending shockwaves through the prestigious Ivy League institution.
The violence erupted approximately at 4:00 PM local time on Saturday within the Barus and Holley engineering building, where final examinations were being conducted. According to eyewitness accounts from an economics professor, the assailant entered a classroom during a review session, uttered unspecified words, and commenced firing indiscriminately. Panicked students scrambled for cover in the stadium-style seating as the attack unfolded.
Rhode Island Hospital officials confirmed that most wounded victims remain in critical but stable condition, with the medical facility implementing lockdown protocols as the perpetrator remains at large. University President Christina Paxson characterized the incident as ‘deeply devastating’ for the academic community.
Law enforcement authorities have released limited suspect information, describing the individual as a male dressed entirely in black, estimated to be in his thirties. Although surveillance footage captures the suspect exiting the building, the recording reveals neither facial features nor visible weaponry.
Providence Deputy Police Chief Tim O’Hara emphasized that every available resource is being deployed to apprehend the suspect, though earlier reports of custody proved erroneous after police cleared an uninvolved individual following questioning.
The seven-story engineering complex, housing 117 laboratories and multiple instructional spaces, was evacuated and secured by authorities who discovered neither the suspect nor firearms during their sweep.
Local authorities maintain an active shelter-in-place order for the greater university area, with restaurants locking doors to protect occupants and law enforcement systematically escorting individuals from non-residential buildings. Aerial footage depicts extensive police presence throughout the campus vicinity.
The university has canceled all scheduled examinations, while political figures including former President Trump and Rhode Island Governor Dan McKee have expressed condolences and called for prayers for the victims.
This tragic event marks the 389th mass shooting in the United States this year according to Gun Violence Archive statistics, reigniting discussions about campus security and gun violence prevention measures at educational institutions nationwide.