At least two people were killed and nine others injured after a gunman opened fire inside an engineering building at Brown University on Saturday afternoon before fleeing the scene, authorities said.
The mass shooting sent the Ivy League campus and parts of Providence, Rhode Island, into lockdown as police launched a large-scale manhunt for the suspect, who remains at large.
“Sadly, today is the day we prayed would never come,” Providence Mayor Brett Smiley said during an evening press conference.
Officials said the two victims who were killed and eight of the injured were students. One additional victim suffered minor injuries from bullet fragments and later sought medical treatment independently.
Police received reports of an active shooter at approximately 4:05 p.m. The shooting occurred in a first-floor classroom inside the Barus & Holley Engineering Building while final exams were underway.
“Our officers responded and entered the building immediately and began searching for a suspect,” Providence Deputy Police Chief Tim O’Hara said. “However, no suspect was located at that time.”
Authorities described the suspect as a male dressed in black, believed to be in his 30s, who used a handgun. The weapon has not been recovered. Investigators said it remains unclear how the suspect entered the building, which was open to the public, though swipe-card access was required for exam rooms.
Witnesses told police the suspect fled the building on foot. Law enforcement later released surveillance footage showing a person dressed entirely in black walking near campus who they believe may be the shooter.
Confusion followed the initial response when officials briefly announced that a suspect had been taken into custody. Brown University issued an emergency alert stating an arrest had been made, but the message was quickly retracted. Mayor Smiley later clarified that an individual was detained but was “later found not to be involved.”
“Police do not have a suspect in custody and continue to search for the suspect,” the university said in a corrected alert, urging students to continue sheltering in place and avoid the engineering complex.
Student Katie Sun told the Brown Daily Herald that she was studying nearby when she heard gunshots around 4:10 p.m.
“It was honestly quite terrifying,” she said. “The shots seemed like they were coming from where the classrooms are.”
Hospitals initially reported that eight victims were in critical but stable condition. Brown University Health later confirmed that one patient remained in critical condition, while another had stabilized.
Video obtained by the university’s student newspaper showed police officers assisting injured victims near the Sciences Library shortly after the shooting.
Rhode Island Governor Dan McKee said he spoke with President Donald Trump, who pledged federal assistance in tracking down the suspect.
“All we can do right now is pray for the victims,” Trump told reporters Saturday night.
Authorities said Saturday evening that while the campus lockdown remained in effect, there was no indication of additional threats.
“We have no reason to believe there are any further dangers at this time,” Mayor Smiley said. “Calls received by 911 since the incident have been unrelated.”
The investigation remains ongoing as law enforcement continues its search for the gunman.
The post At Least 2 Killed, 9 Injured In Mass Shooting At Brown University, Gunman Still At Large appeared first on Real News Now.
About Author
