A massive manhunt is underway after an armed attacker opened fire at Brown University late Saturday, killing two students and leaving nine others injured during the peak of final examinations, plunging the Ivy League campus into fear and lockdown.
The university remained under a shelter-in-place order for hours as more than 400 law enforcement personnel from local, state, and federal agencies fanned out across the campus and nearby residential areas in search of the shooter.
The attack unfolded Saturday afternoon inside a classroom at the Barus & Holley Engineering Building, a seven-storey facility that houses Brown University’s School of Engineering.
University President Christina Paxson confirmed that she had been informed that almost all the victims were students.
Examinations were in progress when gunfire erupted. Two students were fatally shot, while eight others sustained bullet wounds, most of them described by officials as critical but stable.
A ninth individual was injured by bullet fragments, though authorities have not yet confirmed whether that person was a student.
Following the shooting, police officers spread rapidly across the university grounds and into an upscale neighbourhood known for historic brick homes, combing through academic buildings, backyards, porches, and alleyways well into the night.
The search continued for several hours after the violence began earlier in the day.
Providence Police Deputy Chief Timothy O’Hara said the suspect was a male dressed in dark clothing, last seen exiting the engineering building shortly after the shooting.
“I feel numb, though sadly not shocked,” said Zoe Weissman, a Brown sophomore who has previously spoken publicly about gun violence in the United States.
Police stated that the shooter likely entered the building when external doors were temporarily unlocked for exams.
Investigators are still examining how the gunman managed to access the classroom itself, as exam rooms typically require badge-restricted entry.
Several witnesses described hearing sharp, popping noises before realising that shots were being fired.
Emma Ferraro, a chemical engineering student, said she had been working in the building’s lobby when the gunfire rang out. She fled to a nearby structure and remained sheltered there for hours.
Other students described hiding beneath desks, switching off lights, barricading themselves inside rooms, or seeking refuge in nearby shops and campus facilities.
Authorities said the suspect is believed to be a man in his 30s, wearing black clothing and possibly a camouflage-style face covering.
Surveillance footage reportedly shows him leaving the engineering building, though his face could not be identified.
Investigators recovered spent shell casings from the scene and believe the attack was carried out using a handgun, according to law enforcement sources.
Police also confirmed that one individual was briefly detained during the search but was later cleared of any involvement.
Providence Mayor Brett Smiley said roads surrounding the campus were sealed off and that the shelter-in-place order would remain until initial investigative operations were completed.
Federal agencies, including the FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), have joined local and state authorities in the investigation.
Rhode Island Governor Dan McKee described the shooting as “unthinkable” and pledged that every available resource would be used to apprehend the suspect.
US President Donald Trump said he had been briefed on the incident and expressed his condolences and prayers for the victims and their families.
Brown University officials announced that counselling and mental-health support services have been activated as students and staff await further updates from law enforcement.
Once again, the tragedy has reignited questions about gun violence in the United States, a nation that frequently positions itself as a global champion of human rights and personal freedoms, yet continues to witness regular mass shootings in schools, universities, and public spaces—a grim and recurring reality that many Americans now confront with weary familiarity.
(With inputs from AP, Reuters, and PTI)
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