By Peter Aitken, Simon Crerar, and Kate Plummer
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Police say a person of interest is in custody over the shooting at Brown University campus that killed two people and wounded nine others.
Police spokesperson Kristy dosReis confirmed the information to Associated Press.
At least two people have been killed and nine more injured in an active shooter situation at the school in Providence, Rhode Island, according to the city's Mayor Brett Smiley.
What To Know
- Smiley confirmed that two students had died and nine others had been taken to the hospital for treatment.
- An initial press conference revealed that the shooter was a male dressed all in black who exited the building via Hope Street. At a later press conference, a video of the suspect was released.
- Local law enforcement urged the public to "exercise caution and avoid" the area around Hope Street
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Dec 14, 2025 at 08:59 AM EST
Brown University President Issues Further Statement
The president of Brown University has issued a statement after a person connected to the shooting was detained.
Christina H. Paxson thanked law enforcement "for their dedicated and extensive work overnight to provide safety to our community."
She said in a statement posted to the university's website that "a couple of thousand students" were evacuated from parts of campus that were in the police perimeter overnight.
She said: "My goal is for our community to work together to get through this difficult time and feel safe on our campus again."
Dec 14, 2025 at 07:58 AM EST
Mayor Issues Update on Detainees
Providence Mayor Brett Smiley said at a press conference that law enforcement officials were not looking for anyone else after a person of interest in connection with the shooting was detained. He said the city "should breathe a little easier this morning."
"Our priorities remain the same as they were yesterday, which is to bring the individual responsible to justice."
Dec 14, 2025 at 07:41 AM EST
Person of Interest Detained
A person of interest has been detained in connection with the shooting, police spokesperson Kristy dosReis confirmed. The person has not been named.
Dec 14, 2025 at 07:05 AM EST
Brown University Ends Shelter-in-Place Order
The shelter-in-place order for the Brown University campus has ended, according to a 5:42 a.m. post on the university's website.
But police are still "in areas that are still considered an active crime scene," the post said. "It is important to follow instructions from law enforcement at all times."
Dec 14, 2025 at 06:59 AM EST
Brown University Students Survived Other School Shootings
Two students who survived the Brown University attack had previously lived through other school shootings.
Mia Tretta, 21, and Zoe Weissman, 20, were both witnesses in separate school years before an unknown individual killed two students and injured nine on Brown University campus Saturday evening.
Weismann, then 12, witnessed a 2018 school shooting in Parkland, Florida, that left 17 people dead at a neighboring school.
"I'm angry that I thought I'd never have to deal with this again, and here I am eight years later," Weissman told NBC News.
She was in her dormitory when a friend called her to tell her a shooting was likely taking place, with students fleeing from a campus building.
"How dare this country allow this to happen to someone like me twice?" she told The New York Times.
Meanwhile, Tretta, who was studying in her dormitory when gunshots rang out on Saturday was shot in the abdomen in 2019 in Saugus Hgh School near Los Angeles. That shooting left two people dead, including her best friend.
“No one in this country even assumes it’s going to happen to them,” Tretta told NBC News. “Once it happens to you, you assume or are told it will never happen again, and obviously that is not the case.”
Dec 14, 2025 at 05:50 AM EST
Brown University Student Describes Moment She Heard Gunshots on Campus
A Brown University student has described the moment she heard gunshots on the university campus.
Speaking from her dorm room, Katie Sun told CNN said she was studying when she heard the gunshots. "I heard multiple gunshots like bangs coming from the back where the classrooms are," she said. "At first me and the other people that were there we kind of froze and then someone was like 'we have to go' and then everyone just sprinted out."
Dec 14, 2025 at 03:48 AM EST
Brown University President Issues Update on Shooting Victims
The president of Brown University has issued a statement on the shooting, saying that all those injured and killed in the shooting were all students.
Christina H. Paxson wrote in a letter to the Brown community: "I can confirm that the nine members of our community who were transported to local hospitals are all students. And we lost two students to today's devastating gun violence."
She said that six of the students are "in critical but stable condition." Another, she said "is in critical condition" while an eighth is "in stable condition." The ninth injured student "was treated and released," she said.
Paxson added that "Brown remains under a shelter-in-place order" and that the "campus must remain on lockdown."
"This is an unimaginably tragic day," she wrote.
The statement was shared on the university's website.
Dec 14, 2025 at 03:21 AM EST
Zohran Mamdani Calls Out ‘Epidemic of Gun Violence’ in America
New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani condemned the "senseless violence" as the attacker remained at large. "The epidemic of gun violence stretches across America," he said.
Mamdani supports stricter rules on gun control. He added: "We have the power to eradicate this suffering from our lives if we so choose."
"Let us rededicate ourselves to the enduring work of ending the scourge of gun violence in our nation."
Dec 14, 2025 at 01:35 AM EST
Providence Mayor: ‘You Can Safely Go to Church in the Morning’
With the manhunt for the Brown University shooter continuing overnight, Providence's mayor told his community they should stick to their holiday and church commitments Sunday.
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Speaking to reporters during a news conference, Providence Mayor Brett Smiley said: "We do believe you can safely go to church in the morning. We are not recommending that those events be canceled."
"It’s a personal choice whether you want to cancel your holiday party, but we do not think it is necessary."
Dec 13, 2025 at 11:05 PM EST
Shooting Suspect Seen Walking Down Street in Video Released by Police
Law enforcement officials released video of the suspected shooter after a news conference Saturday evening. The suspect was dressed in black and left on foot, according to Deputy Chief of Police Timothy O’Hara.
“We have two priorities,” said Mayor Brett Smiley, “to bring this person to justice, and to pray for the victims and their families. Providence and Brown stands together.”
Dec 13, 2025 at 10:05 PM EST
Brown University Shooting Victims Were Students—School President
During a Saturday evening news conference, Brown University's Christina H. Paxson said that the two deceased were students.
“Our focus right now is on supporting the families who have been affected by this, families of the two students who sadly lost their lives today, as well as the eight other students who are in the hospital," she said.
Dec 13, 2025 at 09:50 PM EST
400 Officers on Streets of Providence, Brown University Remains in Lockdown
Speaking at a 9:30 p.m. ET press conference tonight, Providence Mayor Brett Smiley has announced that police have video footage of the suspect, which will be released shortly.
“There are over 400 officers in the area assisting with the investigation and keeping the community safe,” said Smiley.
“We have no reason to believe there are any additional threats at this time.”
Deputy Chief Timothy O'Hara said the Rhode Island Police Department is working with ATF and the FBI.
“We have video of who we believe is the suspect," said O'Hara. "He is wearing dark gray or black clothing. Some witnesses say he may have been wearing a camouflage mask." The deputy chief said the suspect is estimated to be in his 30s.
Dec 13, 2025 at 08:54 PM EST
Authorities Believe Brown University Shooter Used Handgun
A shooter dressed in black killed at least two people and wounded eight others during final exams on the Ivy League campus, authorities said, and police were searching for the suspect.
Authorities believe the shooter used a handgun, according to a law enforcement official who was not authorized to discuss an ongoing investigation and spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity.
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Rhode Island has some of the strictest gun laws in the U.S. Last spring the Democratic-controlled legislature passed an assault weapon ban that will prohibit the sale and manufacturing of certain high-powered firearms, but not their possession.
This article includes reporting by The Associated Press.
Dec 13, 2025 at 08:34 PM EST
President Trump on Brown Shooting: ‘God Bless the Victims’
President Donald Trump said he has been briefed on the shooting at Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island, where at least two people were killed, and eight others were critically injured Saturday afternoon.
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"I have been briefed on the shooting that took place at Brown University in Rhode Island. The FBI is on the scene. The suspect is in custody. God bless the victims and the families of the victims!" Trump wrote at 5:44 p.m. on Truth Social.
However, Trump walked back his statement moments later after police reversed their earlier report. "The Brown University Police reversed their previous statement—the suspect is NOT in custody," he posted at 6:03 p.m.
Full report from Adeola Adeosun here.
Dec 13, 2025 at 08:16 PM EST
Status Update on Shooting Victims at Rhode Island Hospital
Six victims are in critical but stable condition, one is in critical condition and one is stable, according to Kelly Brennan, a spokesperson for the hospital.
“Rhode Island Hospital is working closely with and providing support to all impacted family members, and remains in continuous communication with Brown University,” Brennan said in a statement.
“Rhode Island Hospital is in lockdown at this time, but is still accepting emergency department patients.”
This article includes reporting by The Associated Press.
Dec 13, 2025 at 08:10 PM EST
Police: Check Your Ring, ‘See If There’s Anything That Looks Suspicious’
During a press conference Providence Police Commander Tim O'Connor had a message for residents: "If they have a ring camera...they should be reviewing that right now and see if there's anything that looks suspicious. We'll follow up."
Commander O'Connor urged those around the crime scene to contact the police department: "Call us up. We'll send a detective out there right away and see what kind of evidence they may have for us."
Dec 13, 2025 at 08:01 PM EST
Student: ‘I Am Shocked…Nothing Really Ever Happens in Providence’
Students at Brown University have been speaking to the Associated Press. Mari Camara, a 20-year-old junior, said she stepped out of the library to get dinner when she saw the police cars. She took shelter at Baja’s Taqueria on Thayer Street, where she’s been for three hours.
“I am shocked that all this is happening because nothing really ever happens in Providence,” said Camara.
Brown biochemistry senior Alex Bruce was working on a final research project in his dorm, directly across the street from the Barus and Holley building, when he heard lots of sirens outside and received a text in his dorm group chat about an active shooter shortly after 4 p.m. ET. Campus emergency alerts closely followed.
“I’m just in here shaking,” he said, as he watched while a half-dozen armed officers in tactical gear surrounded his dorm, Minden Hall. The student feared for a friend who he thought was inside the engineering building at the time of the shooting.
Dec 13, 2025 at 07:51 PM EST
Limited Information on Brown Shooting Suspect: ‘A Male Dressed In Black’
Speaking to reporters, Tim O'Hara, Deputy Chief of Providence Police, said that after receiving calls indicating an active shooter inside a building inside Brown University, his officers responded, entered the building and began searching for a suspect.
"They did a systematic search of the building. However, no suspect was located at that time. They were able to clear that building and provide a safe place for students, faculty and workers."
"Preliminarily, all we have is a suspect that was a male dressed in black. It is unknown how he entered the building, but we do know that he exited the Hope Street side of that complex."
Indicating that police are using all all available resources to locate the suspect, the Deputy Chief emphasised that the public should stay away from the university area: "The shelter in place is in order, and I urge people to take that very seriously. Please do not come to the area. There's an active police investigation going on, and there's a lot of police activity."
"We'll be updating you throughout the night, but there is no suspect under arrest. So please stay out of the area."
Dec 13, 2025 at 07:35 PM EST
‘Today Is A Day…We Prayed Would Never Come’ – Providence Mayor Smiley
Speaking to reporters tonight after Saturday evening's shooting in Providence, Mayor Brett Smiley said: "today is a day that the City of Providence and the state of Rhode Island prayed would never come. We've heard about horrific acts of gun violence and active shooter situations in other places, but not here."
The Mayor said ten people had been shot, with two deceased and the other eight in critical status, receiving care at Rhode Island Hospital: "those are the only injuries or casualties that we know at this time," said Smiley, while emphasizing the casualty numbers could change.
"Additionally, we do not have a shooter in custody at this time," said the Mayor.
"There is a shelter in place in effect for the Greater Brown University area. If you live on or near Brown's campus, we are encouraging you to stay home and stay inside. If you're not home at this time, we would encourage you not to return to your homes until the shelter in place has been lifted."
The mayor told reporters that he lives near the campus and is keeping in contact with friends and neighbors as he urges the community to stay inside.
Police and the FBI are in close coordination as they seek to find the shooter. The shooting took place at the Barris and Holly Building, which is a Brown University engineering and physics building.
Dec 13, 2025 at 07:10 PM EST
Officials Clarify Confusion Over Mistaken Report of Suspect in Custody
Officials at a press conference shortly after 6:30 p.m. ET explained that the report of a suspect in custody was mistakenly issued after an individual was questioned - but ultimately found to have no connection to the shooting.
Officials stressed that a suspect is not in custody and that the shelter-in-place order remains active.
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