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By Adeola Adeosun
Weekend Night Editor
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Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island, has canceled all remaining classes, exams, papers and projects for the fall 2025 semester following a deadly shooting on campus on Saturday that killed two students and wounded nine others.
Provost Francis J. Doyle III announced the decision Sunday morning, telling students they are free to leave campus while support services remain available for those who stay. A person of interest was taken into custody Sunday at a Hampton Inn hotel in Coventry, Rhode Island, approximately 20 miles from Providence, though no charges have been filed yet.
The shooting occurred during final exams in the Barus & Holley building, which houses the School of Engineering and physics department.
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The Context
Gun violence remains a primary public safety concern, especially after several high-profile shootings this year including the assassination of Democratic Minnesota House Representative Melissa Hortman and her husband in their home; the shooting at the Annunciation Catholic Church on the first day of school in Minneapolis that killed two children; the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk in Utah; and the shooting at a Michigan Mormon church.
Mass killings in the country dropped to their lowest level in two decades in 2025, but political violence and school shootings continue to prompt heavy debate over gun control.
What To Know
The cancellation affects all remaining undergraduate, graduate and medical school academic obligations for the fall 2025 semester. Doyle's announcement specified that classes, exams, papers and projects scheduled for the final days of the semester will not take place as planned. The decision was made "out of profound concern for all students, faculty and staff," with university officials recognizing that "learning and assessment are significantly hindered in the short term."
The shooting took place Saturday afternoon in a first-floor classroom where engineering design exams were underway. The seven-story Barus & Holley building contains more than 100 laboratories and dozens of classrooms. While outer doors were unlocked, rooms being used for finals required badge access, according to Providence Mayor Brett Smiley. Investigators have not yet determined how the shooter entered the classroom or established a motive for the attack.
Surveillance video released by police showed a suspect dressed in black walking from the scene. The attack prompted hours of chaos across the Ivy League campus as hundreds of officers conducted searches and urged the community to shelter in place. The lockdown, which extended into the night, was lifted early Sunday morning.
Providence Police Chief Oscar Perez said the person in custody was detained at the Coventry hotel where FBI agents and police officers remained Sunday, cordoning off a hallway with crime scene tape. Perez declined to specify whether the detained individual had any connection to Brown.
What People Are Saying
Provost Francis J. Doyle III, in statement to Brown University community: "At this time, it is essential that we focus our efforts on providing care and support to the members of our community as we grapple with the sorrow, fear and anxiety that is impacting all of us right now. University leaders are committed to providing care and mobilizing resources to assist our community members through this difficult time."
"We know there will be many academic concerns about the implications of not holding classes and exams as scheduled. We will follow up with more information in the coming days. For the moment, we encourage everyone to focus on their own safety and well-being. We will continue to share updates with emergency information on Brown.edu, and to work directly with students and other community members to provide services and support."
Brown University President Christina Paxson, at Sunday news conference, discussed how students are coping: "They are amazing and they're supporting each other. There's just a lot of gratitude."
Providence Mayor Brett Smiley, describing hospital visits with wounded students: "The resilience that these survivors showed and shared with me, is frankly pretty overwhelming. We're all saddened, scared, tired, but what they've been through is something different entirely."
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What Happens Next
University officials continue to share emergency updates on college's website while working directly with students and community members to provide services and support.
Local law enforcement is maintaining a heightened presence throughout the city, with many area businesses remaining closed Sunday.
Reporting from the Associated Press contributed to this article.
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