On Sunday, police confirmed that they had taken a “person of interest” into custody following an 11-hour investigation into the recent shooting at Brown University.
Details about the suspect’s possible connection to the prestigious school in Providence, Rhode Island, remain undisclosed. Tragically, two students lost their lives, and nine others sustained injuries during an attack that occurred while they were studying for finals.
Following the incident, shelter-in-place orders for Ivy League campuses have been lifted.
Providence Mayor Brett Smiley updated the press, noting that one individual remains in critical condition, while seven others are stable, and one has been discharged from the hospital.
The person of interest was apprehended around 3:45 a.m. at a hotel in Coventry, Rhode Island, as police connected the individual to Saturday’s events. Capt. Oscar Perez of the Providence Police Department mentioned that investigators are not pursuing other suspects at this time.
Very little information concerning the detained individual has been made public, and it’s still unclear if he had any ties to the university.
As of Sunday morning, law enforcement continues to maintain a strong presence around the university, and access to Minden Hall and nearby residences is still restricted. Mayor Smiley remarked that the residents of Providence should feel somewhat reassured today.
The gunfire erupted around 4:30 p.m. during a review session for final exams at the private institution.
Economics professor Rachel Friedberg mentioned that her teaching assistant was leading the class when the gunman entered. She recounted that the assailant yelled something she couldn’t remember before starting to fire. “Students rushed to find safety, trying to hide in the stadium seating, and that’s when people were shot,” she described.
The victims’ names have not been released, and details about how many students were present are still unclear.
Surveillance footage released on Saturday night depicted the suspect leaving a university building onto Hope Street.
On the same evening, Deputy Police Chief Tim O’Hara described the suspect as a “male in dark clothing,” likely in his 30s.
