Brown University mass shooting live updates: No charges filed yet, vigil scheduled
3:23 pm ETShare this update
Answering reader questions: Where did the shooting happen? Is there more video? And moreProvidence Journal Staff
The Providence Journal has been soliciting reader questions about the mass shooting at Brown University on Dec. 13. Below, you'll find our answers, using our previous reporting and from reaching out to sources. Questions around similar subjects have been grouped together.
3:22 pm ETShare this update
Gov. McKee orders flags to fly at half staffKatie Landeck
Flags will be flown at half-staff across Rhode Island as a sign of respect for the victims of the shooting at Brown University.
“My heart is with the victims, the families, the Brown University community, and the brave law enforcement officials who responded to this horrific attack,” saidGovernor Dan McKee said in a statement. “In the face of tragedy, Rhode Island will do what we do best: come together with compassion and resolve to support one another.”
McKee also asks Rhode Islanders to lower their flags as a sign of respect.
The order did not say how long flags should fly at half-staff for.
3:07 pm ETShare this update
Providence restaurants feeding, offering services for first responders, Brown communityAntonia Noori Farzan
Numerous Providence businesses are stepping up to offer free meals for first responders and members of the Brown community, or services for community members who are grieving and need a place to destress.
Longtime Thayer Street staple Kabob and Curry is offering free meals for all students, faculty and first responders, the restaurant said in an Instagram post.
Like No Udder, a vegan ice cream shop on Hope Street, is offering ice cream to Brown students, faculty or first responders who show identification.
"Ice cream fixes a lot, but not everything," the shop wrote on Instagram, saying it remains open as a place where people can "get out of the house and away from the TV."
Brown Bee Coffee, a popular new coffee shop on Benefit Street, said it is giving out its renowned croissants for free to any Brown students who come in and show their IDs.
PiANTA, a vegan restaurant on Atwells Avenue, is also offering free meals to students, faculty, and first responders.
West Side Wellness encouraged anyone affected by the tragedy to call about receiving a pre-paid massage through their Pay it Forward program.
Rhode Island Hot Yoga said on Facebook that they will be offering free classes for the rest of the day.
"We’re going to open up this afternoon and we’re not going to charge for classes, cause it sure as heck isn’t about the money - we just want to be available for our members & community," the yoga studio wrote.
3:05 pm ETShare this update
Rhode Island Emergency Management agency was activated during Brown shooting.Mark Reynolds
Rhode Island Emergency Management Agency staff were notified of the shooting and were in the Emergency Operations Center before 5 p.m. on Saturday, according to a spokesman, Randolph Armand.
The agency activated the Rhode Island Medical Reserve Corps to assist with mental health and counseling services, Armand said.
A total of six staff worked in the ops center, and two other staff helped to set up the family reunification center at 225 Hope Street. By 7 p.m., members of the community were able to reunite with shooting survivors. By 8 p.m., boxes of Kleenex, for the mental health response, had arrived on the sidewalk outside.
The agency's role is governed by what officials referred to as Rhode Island's "active threat response plan," which was developed with assistance from the Rhode Island Police Chiefs Association, to guide the state's response to a mass shooting.
Rhode Island's 'active threat response plan'In 2024, when the newly-created plan was in a "draft" form, RIEMA's director, Marc Pappas, characterized it as about 160 pages in length. Armand said on Sunday, Dec. 14, that the agency would release a summary of the plan later this week.
Pappas had initially commented on the plan at a 2024 event, saying that RIEMA still wouldn't release the plan even after it was complete and no longer in draft form because the plan contained sensitive information related to police tactical operations.
At the same event, which was attended by Providence Mayor Brett Smiley, the agency distributed medical gear for handling severely bleeding wounds: tourniquets, wound-packing bandages, pressure bandages, chest seals and more.
Read more2:46 pm ETShare this update
Was the shooting only at/near the engineering building or spread across campus?Whitman Littlefield
During a Saturday night press briefing, Providence Police Deputy Chief Timothy O'Hara clarified, "The incident took place inside the building." O'Hara elaborated, saying that the shooting took place "in a classroom" on the first floor.
According to Brown University, the Barus and Holley, located at 184 Hope Street, was built in 1965. The 7-story building houses the School of Engineering as well as the Physics Department.
The building includes laboratories, offices and classrooms as well as several lecture halls.
2:37 pm ETShare this update
Police union shows gratitude for officers, studentsKatie Mulvaney
The Providence Fraternal Order of Police Lodge #3, which represents city officers, relayed condolences to the people killed and injured in the Dec. 13 shooting at Brown University shooting, as well as gratitude to the students and others who stepped up to assist.
“Last night, our city experienced something no community should ever have to face. Our hearts are with the families and loved ones of those who lost their lives, as well as those who were injured,” the union posted on Facebook.
“In the midst of this tragedy, we are deeply grateful for the countless men and women from across the state, including tactical teams and federal agencies, who provided critical technology, expertise, and support. These teams worked tirelessly to secure students, clear buildings, secure the scene, and continued the search for the suspected shooter throughout the night,” the FOP said.
“We are thankful that, at this time, a person of interest is in custody. While we pray that something like this never happens in our city, we recognize the need to always be prepared. As first responders, we must have the resources necessary to act swiftly and decisively. The loss of life is never acceptable in our society, and it is a reality that no words can fully comfort,” the post continued.
The union extended a shoutout to Brown students, many of whom continued to shelter in place for hours before being cleared by police and ferried to the reunification center by Rhode Island Public Transit Authority buses.
Read more2:32 pm ETShare this update
What is the difference between a 'person of interest' and a 'suspect'?Paul Edward Parker
After the noon press conference, Providence Police Chief Perez and Mayor Brett Smiley both said that “person of interest” and “suspect” are essentially the same. However, “suspect” is a person they are ready to charge. Smiley further said that the investigation is focused on the person of interest, no one else.
2:21 pm ETShare this update
McKee: 'Right now our community is in pain'Antonia Noori Farzan
Gov. Dan McKee issued a public letter to Rhode Islanders in the wake of the Brown University shooting.
“Right now, our community is in pain," McKee wrote. "Every year, emergency responders and students drill for the unthinkable – a shooting at our schools. Yesterday, that action became all too real when a gunman opened fire on a classroom of innocent Brown University students."
McKee said that Family Service of Rhode Island has set up a crisis line and a drop-in center for anyone in the community who is struggling with the events. The crisis line is (401) 854-6678. The drop-in center is located at 55 Hope Street and is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday and 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. next week Monday-Friday.
McKee additionally directed Rhode Islanders to the city of Providence's resource website, https://www.providenceri.gov/communityresponseresources/
"I am not just the governor," he wrote. "I am a Rhode Islander. I am a parent and a grandparent. I cannot fathom the depth of fear, and in some cases, grief the families of those students are experiencing today."
McKee added: "What I do know is that local, state, and federal law enforcement, emergency responders, and Mayor Smiley’s team have worked heroically to manage a dangerous situation, investigate this heinous crime, and keep the greater Brown University community safe from further incident. We are deeply grateful for their work."
1:49 pm ETShare this update
City clears snow from Lippitt Park in advance of vigilWhitman Littlefield
In advance of a 5 p.m vigil at Lippitt Park in Providence, a crew from the Providence Parks Department was dispatched to clear sidewalks, shovel snow and clean up the area.
The event was originally planned as a tree lighting and Menorah lighting.
"For those who know at least a little bit of the Hanukkah story, it is quite clear that if we can come together as a community and shine a little bit of light tonight, I think there's nothing better that we could be doing as a community, Providence Mayor Brett Smiley said.
1:41 pm ETShare this update
How long can someone be held by police in Rhode Island?Katie Mulvaney
State District Court rules dictate that a police officer making an arrest via a warrant must present the alleged suspect “without unnecessary delay before a judge.”
If investigators make an arrest without a warrant, the rules again require the police to present the alleged suspect “without unnecessary delay” before a District Court judge in the division in which the crime was committed. In the Brown shooting case, that would be 6th Division District Court at the Garrahy Judicial Complex on Dorrance Street. The rules require, too, that bail hearing before a judge or justice of the peace be held promptly.
An alleged suspect has the right to ask to leave police custody, if he or she isn’t charged and request a lawyer.
What if the alleged suspect is charged federally?
If the alleged offender faces federal charges – such as domestic terrorism – he could face the death penalty, according to a defense lawyer.
That became an issue in Rhode Island in the case of Jason Wayne Pleau, who was charged in the September 2010 fatal shooting of a gas station manager outside a bank in Woonsocket. In June 2012, federal prosecutors announced they would seek the death penalty against Pleau.
Represented by legendary later defense lawyer Robert B. Mann, Pleau ultimately pleaded guilty in a deal that ensured that he remained imprisoned for life but spared him the death penalty.
His prosecution was delayed for nearly a year as Gov. Lincoln Chafee refused to surrender Pleau to federal custody based on a state's opposition to capital punishment.
Read more12:31 pm ETShare this update
Smiley says not all victims' families have been notifiedAntonia Noori Farzan
Mayor Brett Smiley said that victims’ names have not been released because not all their families have been notified, due to the fact that some are currently traveling.
Conditions have not changed, he said. One student has been discharged from the hospital, another is in critical but stable condition, and seven are in stable condition.
Smiley said he has had conversations with four of the students.
“One of the students who showed tremendous courage, literally said to me, ‘You know, that active shooter drill they made me do in high school really helped me,’” he said.
Smiley said that the survivors he spoke to “showed courage, hope, and gratitude” for the community support and the quality the medical care they’ve received.
“A couple of the family members who I had a chance to speak with are so grateful for what they’ve seen and heard of the outpouring of support from this community,” he said.
Smiley said that he has ideas about potential policy changes that would make the community safer, and that will be a conversation at a later date. He became emotional when speaking about the need for active shooter drills, saying they shouldn’t be necessary but “it’s so damn frequent.”
In general, Smiley said, the city currently can’t provide much information because it doesn’t want to jeopardize the ongoing investigation.
“I know it is frustrating,” he said. “What’s important is that the investigation takes the time that it needs to be right.”
Read more12:17 pm ETShare this update
Gathering planned for 5 p.m. tonight at Lippitt ParkKatie Landeck
Providence will be hosting a gathering at 5 p.m. at Lippitt Memorial Park, 1015 Hope St., to recognize the tragedy at Brown University.
Security measures will be in place at the event.
"What was initially going to be a holiday celebration will now serve as an opportunity for us to come together and support one another as we reflect, mourn, and hold each other close as family, friends, and neighbors," Councilor Sue AnderBois said in a post. "We will not let this horrific act weaken the bonds that make Providence such a strong and special place to call home."
The event was originally planned as a tree lighting and Menorah lighting.
"Tor those who know at least a little bit of the Hanukkah story, it is quite clear that if we can come together as a community and shine a little bit of light tonight, I think there's nothing better that we could be doing as a community, Providence Mayor Brett Smiley said.
11:54 am ETShare this update
'Policymakers need to be ashamed that they've let this happen to the point where someone like myself can go through this twice'Bailey Allen
Zoe Weissman, 20, a Brown University student who was in her dorm room when the shots rang out, knows the trauma of gun violence all too well.
On Feb. 14, 2018, then 12-year-old Weissman was at her middle school in Parkland, Florida, when she heard gunshots from the nearby Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School.
"The schools shared a field, and I was outside, so I was the closest you could get to Douglas without actually being on the school's property," Weissman recalled.
She expressed her frustration at the fact that so many mass shootings have taken place in the United States in recent years.
"I think that the policymakers need to be ashamed that they've let this happen to the point where someone like myself can go through this twice," Weissman said. "And I think that if they actually care about their constituents, they'll show that by passing comprehensive gun violence prevention legislation, and if they don't, I refuse to believe that they actually care about the people they were elected to serve."
After witnessing the fatal Parkland shooting, Weissman said she was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder.
Years later, the shooting at Brown University has brought her trauma back into sharp focus.
"This is something I've been living with every day for the past seven to eight years," Weissman said. "Because I've been in therapy, I know how to cope with this. And so, I feel privileged that I'm in a position where I can help [my peers] learn how to cope with it the way I have."
Read more11:50 am ETShare this update
FBI used cell phone data to help locate suspectEryn Dion
FBI Director Kash Patel posted on social media platform X giving additional insight into the FBI's role in responding to the mass shooting at Brown University and tracking down the suspect.
He said that the FBI Boston office established a command post to take in, analyze and run down leads. He said that the FBI also activated the "Cellular Analysis Survey Team, to provide critical geolocation capabilities."
Based off a lead from the Providence Police Department, Patel said that the FBI Boston’s Safe Streets Task Force, with assistance from the U.S. Marshals and Coventry Police Department, detained a "person of interest" in a hotel room in Coventry.
"We have deployed local and national resources to process and reconstruct the shooting scene - providing HQ and Lab elements on scene," Patel wrote. "We set up a digital media intake portal to ingest images and video from the public related to this incident. And the FBI’s victim specialists are fully integrating with our partners to provide resources to victims and survivors of this horrific violence."
11:50 am ETShare this update
RI Police Chiefs Association recognizes cohesive response at Brown UniversityWill Richmond
In an event that resulted in the response of law enforcement agencies from across the state, along with federal partners, the ability to coordinate all of the responding units was recognized in a statement from the Rhode Island Police Chiefs Association.
"The Rhode Island Police Chiefs Association extends its deepest sympathies to the victims, their families, and the entire Brown University community in the wake of yesterday’s violence. We mourn the lives of the two students killed and our hearts are with those who were harmed or impacted by this senseless act.
"We want to express our profound gratitude for the professionalism, courage, and seamless collaboration demonstrated by law enforcement, fire and EMS, and our partner agencies at every level. When the call went out, our communities responded swiftly, decisively, and together. This cohesive public safety response reflects the strength of our shared commitment to protect life, support one another, and stand shoulder-to-shoulder in moments of crisis.
"As investigators continue their work, we can all help by supporting the victims and our community. Healing from this trauma will take time but we are united in our support of our colleagues in Providence and beyond."
11:44 am ETShare this update
Brown students leave for winter break after finals canceledWhitman Littlefield
Students across the brown campus were seeing rolling suitcases into Ubers and waiting cars. Multiple students interviewed said that they were going home either flying out of Boston or Warwick. With the announcement of canceled finals, students said that they were taking their break and going home until January.
Sophomores Shivashish Das and Jett Gotz joined the students leaving campus early for winter break. They plan to return in late January for the next semester. Das said they are shocked after Saturday, December 13, shooting, calling Brown, "the most open, safe, friendly campus."
Both were at Trader Joe's during the lockdown. The grocery store chain provided the students with dinner and provided transportation to a hotel where they spent the night.
11:42 am ETShare this update
Timeline shows how the Brown University mass shooting unfoldedLynne Sullivan
Developments in the mass shooting at Brown University on Saturday, Dec. 13, unfolded rapidly over the course of the evening and into the morning. Here is a timeline of key moments:
Saturday, Dec. 134:05 p.m.:At least two people were killed and nine others were injured in a shooting at Brown University's Barus and Holley Engineering Building, 184 Hope St., Providence.
4:22 p.m.: Brown University issues an urgent alert: There's an active shooter near Barus & Holley Engineering. Lock doors, silence phones and stay hidden until further notice. Remember: RUN, if you are in the affected location, evacuate safely if you can; HIDE, if evacuation is not possible, take cover; FIGHT, as a last resort, take action to protect yourself. Stay tuned for further safety information.
5:11 p.m.:Brown issues second alert, urging to continue to shelter in place, stay away from Barus and Holley area; police searching for suspect; multiple law enforcement agencies on site; emergency medical on scene.
6:05 p.m.: Brown University releases statement confirming there have been “multiple” shooting victims and that exams were taking place between 2 and 5 p.m. in the Barus and Holley building. They urged the community to continue to shelter in place.
6:30 p.m.: Mayor Brett Smiley, along with police and fire officials, holds first news briefing about shooting, at the Brook Street fire station, 223 Brook St., just a few blocks from where the shooting took place. 6:33 p.m.
6:33 p.m.: Brown releases a statement that two of the victims have died, and eight others are in critical but stable condition. The suspect is still at large, and the shelter in place order remains in effect. Anyone who was in Barus and Holley is urged to contact police.
Read more11:30 am ETShare this update
Brown University tennis player hid in a closet for hours during lockdownProvidence Journal Staff
Brown University tennis player Chloe Qin hid in a closet for hours until police came after the campus went into lockdown during a mass shooting on campus on Dec. 13.
Hear about her experience below:
Chloe Qin, 18, a player for the Brown University tennis team, was practicing with some friends Saturday afternoon, Dec. 13, when someone opened fire in a building on another part of the Ivy League campus.
“I had to hide in like literally our ball closet with four other people,” Qin told The Providence Journal Sunday morning while walking down a snowy and nearly deserted Thayer Street. “We heard sirens, and we could hear a helicopter outside.”
They used their cell phones to keep in touch with the outside world from the darkened closet. “We were just like texting our friends and like texting our family that we loved them.”
At one terrifying point, they heard noise outside the closet and a flashlight swept under the door.
Qin dared not move. “I was thinking, ‘Do not cough. Stay really quiet,' “ she said. “I was just really scary.”
About an hour later, police opened the closet and patted Qin and her friends down for weapons. Then they were taken to another location, where they sheltered in place until about 2 a.m.
Qin credited drills in high school for preparing her for the ordeal.
“Unfortunately, we’re pretty familiar with how to do things if something like that happens.”
11:17 am ETShare this update
Suspect 'knew the area' former law enforcement source saysKatie Mulvaney
Former Providence Deputy Police Chief Thomas Verdi offered insights into the shooting Dec. 13 at Brown University based on his 35 years with the departmentbefore his retirement in 2022.
“The shooter knew the building. He knew the area. And I would not be surprised if he was a student, former student, worker … He knew where they were. There were Saturday exams. He went in basically without anyone noticing anything and he left, he knew if he knew the building. He knew the area,” said Verdi, who now serves as the state’s Director of the Department of Revenue.
He said it was unlikely that a high-powered rifle was used, as it would have led to more casualties. Two students were killed and nine others were injured, some gravely.
“Law enforcement is all one team in an incident like this,” Verdi said.
He credited Providence Police as being uniquely situated in Rhode Island to respond to the mass shooting, given its experience with gang conflicts and shooting incidents such as the standoff on Denison Street in 2022.
In that incident, the shooter had amassed more than a dozen guns and exchanged hundreds of rounds with police as area residents were instructed to shelter in place during what was an unprecedented firefight.
“They know exactly what to do. Experience is the best teacher,” he said, adding “Providence, in Rhode Island, is the best agency to deal with and respond to an active shooter, a mass shooting incident, because they've done it they've done it as sad as it is, they've done it multiple times.”
Read more11:04 am ETShare this update
Brown student's floormate is hospitalised after shootingWheeler Cowperthwaite
Jaden Ouyang, a freshman at Brown, said that every person at Brown is "at least a little shaken up."
He says that one of his floormates was hospitalized after the shooting, "I saw on his Instagram story and I was shocked."
"The proximity of it was really jarring me. And made me feel very lucky, very grateful that I'm able to be alive."
Ouyang said that while hospitalized, the student was well enough to post on social media.
While prepared to take a final exam if necessary, Ouyang said that his priority was to get home for the winter break.
11:00 am ETShare this update
RI GOP condemns act of 'senseless violence'Antonia Noori Farzan
In a Sunday morning statement, Rhode Island Republican Party chairman Joe Powers said that the GOP is praying for those impacted by the tragedy.
“The entire Rhode Island Republican Party and I stand in full solidarity with the Brown University community following yesterday's horrific shooting on campus, which resulted in multiple fatalities and has left many others injured, including several in critical condition," he wrote.
“No parent, no family, and no student should ever have to receive news like this, especially during final exams and the Christmas season.”
“In one voice, all Rhode Islanders must condemn this cowardly, diabolical, and calculated act of senseless violence," Powers wrote.
“We are praying for the victims and their families, those injured and in critical condition fighting for their lives in the hospital, the entire Brown University community, and all those impacted by this devastating heartbreaking tragedy. We are deeply grateful for the swift coordinated efforts of law enforcement who worked tirelessly through the night and now have a suspect in custody”
10:51 am ETShare this update
Brown student sheltered in place for hoursJournal Staff
Aviv Cohen, a pre-med sophomore at Brown, was taking a final exam and said last night was "quite a surreal experience."
While taking a physics exam in Solomon Hall, a block away from where the shooting took place, people entered the room and explained what was happening and instructed them to shelter in place. "People in the room were quick to react and quick to find a way to make it a priority to make it as safe a space as possible."
The University was communicating with us about what was going on. Obviously, they didn't have a lot of information from the get-go."
After an hour, law enforcement visited the room but instructed the students to stay in place. Cohen then said that law enforcement kept them sheltered in place for at least 10 hours, "at least we all felt safe because the police had already swept through."
After evacuating, he was returned to his dorm with his friends.
After hearing that a suspect is in custody, he commented, "I feel like I am at least happy he is in custody. I think it means we are in a safer area."
10:50 am ETShare this update
What are RI's gun laws?Rhode Island is known to have some of the tougher gun laws in the country, even though the law passed this year banning the sale of assault-style rifles has not yet gone into effect.
Regulations on firearms purchases and possession have been added to the law piece by piece over the decades and can be read here.
To legally buy any type of firearm in Rhode Island, you need to pass a background check and wait seven days until you can pick it up.
Beyond that, the rules differ depending on whether a sale involved a handgun or long gun, such as a rifle or shotgun.
The possession of certain types of firearms is banned entirely. They include 3D printed "ghost guns," shotguns with the barrel sawed off and machine guns.
To buy and possess a handgun, a license known as a "blue card" is required. The person applying for the license needs to take a safety course and then pass a test before the permit is issued.
While a background check is needed to buy a rifle or shotgun, no permit is required to possess a rifle or shotgun.
The minimum age to buy a handgun is 21.
For rifles and shotguns it is 18.
The application form to buy any firearm requires the purchaser to provide a long list of details, including not only their name, address and date or birth, but also a physical description, including any tattoos, and immigration status. People convicted of violent crimes, fugitives and unauthorized immigrants are prohibited from buying firearms.
Read more10:45 am ETShare this update
RI Blood Center calls for donationsAntonia Noori Farzan
The Rhode Island Blood Center says that they "have been asked to provide additional blood units to local hospitals to support patient care during this emergency" and are seeking donations.
Some donor centers will have extended hours today, the RIBC said in posts on social media. A list can be found at https://www.ribc.org/donate-blood/.
"Hospitals rely on a ready supply during emergencies, and your donation can save lives," the Blood Center wrote.
All blood types are welcome, but Type O blood is especially needed since it is the most commonly used in emergencies like these, the Blood Center said.
10:27 am ETShare this update
CNN employee witnessed suspect's detention at 3:45 amMark Reynolds
Brian Todd, a correspondent for CNN, said that he was not at the hotel, but a member of his team was there at the time of the detention. It was at “roughly” 3:45 a.m., he said.
The CNN employee “just heard this real flurry of activity and saw law-enforcement officers converge on a room.”
The CNN team member “pressed for answers” and was told it was related to the incident “and things just kind of built from there.”
“It was really an intense flurry of activity,” Todd said. “Me and my other colleague rushed over here. We were not here at the time.”
10:00 am ETShare this update
See Brown University campus a day after mass shootingProvidence Journal Staff
A layer of snow blanketed Brown University and much of Rhode Island a day after a mass shooting on the Ivy League school's campus on Dec. 13.
Here's what it looks like:
9:52 am ETShare this update
Providence businesses, attractions closed after Brown University shootingAntonia Noori Farzan
Although the shelter in place order has been lifted, a number of Providence businesses announced Sunday morning that they will be closed today out of an abundance of caution.
Jahunger, Frank and Laurie’s, Books on the Square, Hazel Origin Coffee, Dave’s Coffee, Nitro Bar, New Harvest, There There’s West Fountain Street location and all Providence locations of Seven Stars Bakery are among those announcing closures.
The Providence Athenaeum is also closed. The Providence Flea is also canceled on Dec. 14. The Rhode Island School of Design Museum will also be closed on Sunday but expects to reopen on Tuesday. It is normally closed on Mondays.
Seven Stars said that the baked goods that they would typically be serving in their Providence cafes “will instead be donated to first responders and members of our community affected by this tragedy.”
9:50 am ETShare this update
Brown University cancels all remaining finals, papers, projectsWill Richmond
Brown University announced it has canceled all remaining undergraduate, graduate and medical classes, exams, and papers or projects for the Fall 2025 semester following the on-campus shooting on Dec. 13.
"This choice was made out of our profound concern for all students, faculty and staff on our campus. In the immediate aftermath of these devastating events, we recognize that learning and assessment are significantly hindered in the short term and that many students and others will wish to depart campus. Students are free to leave if they are able. Students who remain will have access to on-campus services and support," Provost Francis J. Doyle III said in an alert issued by the university.
Doyle said more information will be released in the coming days regarding the "academic concerns about the implications of not holding classes and exams as scheduled."
See Doyle's full message below.
Dear Members of the Brown Community,
I'm writing to follow up on President Paxson's update from a short time ago to provide additional information on academic operations for the campus. Given the deeply tragic events that took place on our campus yesterday, all remaining undergraduate, graduate and medical classes, exams, and papers or projects for the Fall 2025 semester will not take place as scheduled. This choice was made out of our profound concern for all students, faculty and staff on our campus. In the immediate aftermath of these devastating events, we recognize that learning and assessment are significantly hindered in the short term and that many students and others will wish to depart campus. Students are free to leave if they are able. Students who remain will have access to on-campus services and support.
Read more9:42 am ETShare this update
Suspect taken into custody at Coventry InnWhitman Littlefield
Karima Jackson, a Connecticut woman, was staying in the Hampton Inn with a group that was in Rhode Island for the cheerleading competition at the Providence convention center.
She learned about the detention from a reporter as she cleared snow off her SUV.
“Wow, that’s alarming,” she said.
The rest of Jackson’s group had stayed at the Omni in Providence.
Staying in Coventry Saturday evening, they were quite aware of events in Providence from news reports.
Being in Coventry, 20 minutes away from the shooting, Jackson figured they were “extra safe.”
The second day of the cheerleading competition was canceled due to the shooting, she said.
“I’m ready to go back to Connecticut,” she said.
9:32 am ETShare this update
Online petition asks Brown to require student ID's to enter buildingsWhitman Littlefield
A petition from Change.org has begun circulating through social media asking Brown University to require ID swipes to enter all buildings, "regardless of time of day" going forward.
Authorities have said that at the time of the shooting, the building was unlocked and open to students preparing for final exams. According to Brown University, the Barus and Holley, located at 184 Hope Street, was built in 1965. The 7-story building houses the School of Engineering as well as the Physics Department.
The building includes laboratories, offices and classrooms as well as several lecture halls.
The petition says, "The once unthinkable violence that unfolded at Brown on December 13, 2025 has affected not only Brown students at/near the shooting, but the entire campus community and our families. In an effort to rebuild our home and heal, signing this petition to require ID card swipes for all Brown buildings regardless of time of day could help prevent a tragedy like this one from unfolding. "
9:00 am ETShare this update
Brown University neighborhood tea shop shared footage with policeAntonia Noori Farzan
Michelle Cheng, the owner of popular Brook Street tea shop Ceremony, said in a series of social media posts that the building’s landlord, David Baskin, stayed up through the night reviewing surveillance footage with investigators. They spotted the suspect walking through the neighborhood in that footage, and shared that information with the authorities.
Cheng said that the shop sheltered students while campus was locked down. and neighbors in the building “opened their apartments and helped us get everyone settled.”
The shop will be closed today.
“What we experienced as deeply traumatic, and we need a little more time to cope and support one another,” Cheng wrote.
8:52 am ETShare this update
'We knew it could happen anywhere'Bailey Allen
Thirteen years after a gunman killed 26 people at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut, another New England community is reeling from a shooting on the campus of Brown University.
Speaking at a news conference Sunday, Dec. 14, Providence Mayor Brett Smiley said the anniversary was not lost on him.
"We all – I think, maybe intellectually – knew it could happen anywhere, including here, but that's not the same as it happening in our community," Smiley said.
At least two people were killed and nine others were injured in a shooting at Brown University's Barus and Holley Engineering Building just after 4 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 13.
At the news conference, Smiley said local authorities had previously reviewed protocols for an active-shooter situation.
"This is not something we should have to train for," Smiley said. "But we have, including very recently."
He noted that active-shooter drills have become commonplace in schools across the country.
"We have a generation of kids who have done active-shooter trainings," Smiley said. "That was not something I had to do when I was a kid."
Sandy Hook Promise, a nonprofit organization founded by family members of those killed in Newtown in 2012, released a brief statement Saturday evening as the news of the shooting at Brown spread.
"Our hearts are with Brown University as this tragic story unfolds. We cannot allow this to keep happening. We must #EndGunViolence," Sandy Hook Promise said in an X post.
Read more8:51 am ETShare this update
Are flags at half staff?Katie Landeck
At of 8:30 p.m., so far no declaration has been made to lower flags to half staff at the state or federal level.
Flags are at half-staff in neighboring Connecticut to mark the 13th anniversary of the Sandy Hook shooting.
According to the official website of the U.S. General Services Administration, flags typically fly at half-staff when the country or specific state is in mourning. Observances include national tragedies, days of remembrance and deaths of government or military personnel.
The president, the state governor or the mayor of Washington, D.C., can order flags to fly at half-staff.
8:42 am ETShare this update
Brown President Paxson: Goal is to 'feel safe on our campus again'Will Richmond
Brown University President Christina Paxson issued a letter to the Brown community in an updated alert at 8:15 a.m.
See the full letter below.
Dear Members of the Brown Community,
We continue to be in mourning as a community about the tragic loss of life from gun violence that stole the lives of two of our students yesterday, while one remains in critical but stable condition. My goal is for our community to work together to get through this difficult time and feel safe on our campus again.
I hope all members of our community saw the update sent through the Rave alert system early this morning that Providence police have advised the University that the shelter in place order has ended for our full campus. We want to thank law enforcement for their dedicated and extensive work overnight to provide safety to our community. They have shared publicly that police have identified and detained a person of interest in their investigation. Our Department of Public Safety partnered closely with law enforcement from the city, the state, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and other agencies, all of whom worked together with fierce determination so that we could have a measure of comfort through a devastating time for our community.
It is important to note that there continues to be limited access to some areas of campus as police continue to investigate yesterday’s shooting. There are areas that are still considered an active crime scene. For these areas within the police investigation perimeter, if residents decide to leave, police cannot allow them to return, so we are asking students and members of our community to consider carefully if there are any belongings you need to take with you if you leave any of these areas.
Read more7:23 am ETShare this update
A look at how long it took to apprehend suspects in other casesLynne Sullivan
Sometimes it takes hours or even days to find the suspect. Here are three examples in recent memory where the manhunts took a while.
Charlie Kirk shooting:Suspected shooter Tyler Robinson, 22, was apprehended 33 hours after Kirk's murder.
United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson shooting: Luigi Mangione, 26, was taken into custody on Dec. 9, 2024, in Altoona, Pennsylvania, in connection with the targeted shooting outside a Midtown Manhattan hotel on Dec. 4, 2024.
Boston Marathon bomber:The bombing took place on Monday, April 15, 2013, setting off a massive manhunt. On April 18, 2013, investigators released photos and video of two suspects and asked for the public's help identifying them. On April 19, 2023, the Tsarnaevs have an early-morning gun battle with authorities who had tracked them to Watertown. Tamerlan is run over by his fleeing younger brother and dies. Dzhokhar escapes. Around 6 a.m., authorities tell residents of Boston and surrounding communities to stay indoors. All mass transit is shut down. That order is lifted around 6:30 p.m., just before authorities trace Dzhohar to a Watertown backyard, where he is found hiding in a boat.
7:22 am ETShare this update
'The people of Providence can breathe a little easier this morning'Providence Journal Staff
At a 7 a.m. press briefing, Providence Mayor Brett Smiley confirmed that a person of interest has been detained in the mass shooting at Brown University on Dec. 13.
"The people of Providence can breathe a little easier this morning," Smiley said.
Providence Police Chief Col. Oscar Perez could not confirm many details, but he said that next, law enforcement will coordinate with prosecutors, collect evidence, conduct interviews and collect more details.
Police initially described the suspect as male, wearing all black and possibly in his 30's. Perez did confirm that to be true of the person of interest who was detained.
Ted Docks, with the FBI Boston Field Office, commended local law enforcement and said that the collaboration was integral to developing a suspect and taking them into custody within 24 hours.
Perez would not confirm where the person of interest was taken into custody, but Coventry Police confirmed that he was detained at around 3:45 a.m. on a hotel on Centre of New England Boulevard, but would not pinpoint which hotel.
The Centre of New England is a large commercial and residential development, with several hotels, as well as a Walmart, Home Depot and BJs.
7:03 am ETShare this update
Person of interest taken into custody in CoventryKatie Mulvaney
The Coventry Police Department confirmed that the person of interest in the Brown University mass shooting was taken into custody at a hotel on Center of New England Boulevard.
Police were initially looking for a man, maybe in his 30's, wearing all black or dark colored clothing who left down Hope Street on foot.
7:02 am ETShare this update
Shelter in place order lifted on Brown campus, surrounding areaWill Richmond
Brown University announced in a 5:42 a.m. alert that the Providence police advised the University that the shelter in place order ended for the entire Brown campus.
However, police activity would continue in areas that are still considered an active crime scene.
"Be advised that access to these areas of campus continues to be limited. Within the police perimeter, including Minden Hall and nearby apartment buildings, community members who leave those buildings will be unable to return. It is important to follow instructions from law enforcement at all times," the alert stated.
Providence Mayor Brett Smiley said in a 7 a.m. press conference that the order has also been ended for everyone in the Brown area as well.
6:42 am ETShare this update
Providence Police: Person of interest in custodyKatie Mulvaney
After a lengthy manhunt, the Providence Police Department confirmed that a person of interest is in custody.
Major David Lapatin told The Providence Journal that the person of interest is at the police station and that he is being questioned.
Providence Mayor Brett Smiley is holding a press conference at 7 a.m. with more information.
