A person of interest who was detained in connection with a deadly shooting at Brown University in the US will be released shortly, local officials have said.
Providence Police Chief Col Oscar Perez stated there was not sufficient evidence to prosecute the detained individual, with Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Neronha noting that the evidence now points in a different direction.
The investigation remains ongoing, and authorities are seeking additional video evidence to help locate the actual suspect, per the local mayor's comments.
Two individuals were killed and nine others were injured when a gunman opened fire at the Ivy League university in Providence, Rhode Island, on Saturday.
At a news conference on Sunday, Col Perez indicated that investigators no longer believed the detained person matched the individual identified in CCTV footage released on the day of the attack. The BBC has opted not to name the individual who is being released.
In the CCTV footage, the suspect can be seen fleeing the scene clad in black attire.
Following the footage release, FBI Director Kash Patel noted that a person of interest was apprehended in a hotel in Coventry, Rhode Island, early Sunday morning based on a lead from Providence Police.
Col Perez confirmed that officers were not in pursuit of any other individuals and were collaborating with prosecutors to gather evidence.
Subsequent details revealed that seven of the injured parties remain in stable condition, with one in critical condition, while another has been discharged.
The gunman initiated the attack around 4 PM local time on Saturday within the classroom of the Holley Engineering building on the eastern side of Brown's campus.
While the identities of the deceased and most injured remain undisclosed, a communiqué from Brown University President Christina Paxson confirmed all victims were students.
An email from the head of Durham Academy, a private school in North Carolina, confirmed that one of their alumni, Kendall Turner, was among the injured, leading Michael Ulku-Steiner, the head of the academy, to express thoughts and prayers for Turner and the entire Brown University community.
Prof Paxson stated that specific areas of the campus were still under police restriction as investigations continued, and around 2,000 students were relocated to safe locations overnight. Many community members offered their homes for refuge.
Prof Paxson emphasized the support being provided to the families of the students who lost their lives, saying, There are not enough words of comfort... but we will do all we can.
The shelter-in-place order for residents was lifted by Mayor Smiley on Sunday, following discussions with victims and their families, which he described as filled with courage and gratitude.
A community vigil will be held in memory of the victims on Sunday evening.
President Donald Trump conveyed his hopes for a swift recovery of the injured, while honoring the families of the deceased. This incident marks the 389th mass shooting in the US this year, according to the Gun Violence Archive, which defines mass shootings as incidents involving four or more victims killed or injured, excluding the attacker.
