A manhunt is underway after two students were killed and nine others were injured in a mass shooting at Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island. The gunman opened fire in a classroom around 4:00 PM local time, specifically during a period when exams were being conducted.
After the shooting, the university was put on lockdown as police searched for the suspect, who remains at large. Students at the campus have been instructed to shelter in place while waiting for police to escort them to safety.
According to officials at Rhode Island Hospital, most of those injured are reported to be in critical but stable condition. The identities of the victims have not yet been released.
Brown University President Christina Paxson expressed the community's devastation in a statement, stating, This is a day that we hoped never would come to our community. It is deeply devastating for all of us. As of now, details regarding the suspect remain scarce, as police have released limited information, including descriptions and CCTV footage depicting the individual fleeing the scene.
According to deputy police chief Tim O'Hara, the suspect was dressed in black and possibly wearing a mask; further details about the type of firearm used have not been disclosed. The shooting occurred at the Barus and Holley building, part of Brown’s engineering school.
In the immediate aftermath, university officials have canceled exams scheduled for Saturday, and reports about increased police resources in the area have emerged as the manhunt continues. The incident adds to the alarming statistic of mass shootings in the U.S., which Gun Violence Archive defines as events involving four or more victims killed or injured.
Governor Dan McKee and President Donald Trump both expressed their sympathies for the victims and condemned the tragic event. The university, being a prestigious institution within the Ivy League, houses over 11,000 students, making the incident particularly shocking for a community known for its academic prestige.
