Deadly Shooting at Brown University: Manhunt for Gunman Intensifies
Police in Providence, Rhode Island, are conducting a massive manhunt for a gunman responsible for a shooting at Brown University that killed two students and injured nine others in the Barus & Holley engineering building during exam week.
NEWS
Muhammad Umaish
12/14/20251 min read
Active Shooter Search Intensifies After Attack Kills Two Brown University Students, Wounds Nine
Law enforcement in Rhode Island initiated a wide-scale search late Saturday for the perpetrator of a shooting at Brown University in Providence that left two students dead and critically injured eight others at the prestigious Ivy League institution. Providence Mayor Brett Smiley confirmed that a ninth person suffered minor injuries from bullet fragments.
The attack occurred at the Barus & Holley engineering facility, reportedly during final examinations. Brown University President Christina Paxson verified that the deceased were students, expressing sorrow over the realization of a terrible scenario that "one hopes never happens... has."
Hours after the incident, the gunman remained at large. Mayor Smiley informed the press that the person responsible had not been apprehended, and Deputy Police Chief Timothy O’Hara confirmed the suspect had not been identified. Officials are seeking a male, possibly wearing a mask, dressed in black, and have released video footage to aid the public. Police recovered shell casings from the scene but withheld further forensic details.
Security was immediately heightened across the city. Streets surrounding the campus were cordoned off, and a shelter-in-place order was issued for the area. The search effort, involving federal agencies and surrounding police departments, was complicated by large crowds of holiday shoppers and concert attendees in downtown Providence.
Governor Daniel McKee of Rhode Island vowed that the individual who inflicted such widespread suffering would be captured and brought to justice.
The event sparked national commentary, with President Donald Trump calling the situation "terrible" and urging prayers for the victims. The tragedy highlights the pervasive issue of mass shootings in the United States—the Gun Violence Archive has recorded 389 mass shootings this year alone, reflecting the nation's struggle with widespread gun violence compared to other developed countries.