Suspect in custody after deadly shooting at Brown University

By early Sunday morning, officials confirmed that a person of interest was in custody.

By World Israel News Staff

A suspect is in custody following a deadly shooting at Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island, that left two people dead and nine others wounded during a campus exam session on Saturday afternoon, according to local officials and U.S. media reports.

Authorities said the attack took place at Brown’s Barus and Holley engineering building while students were present for a final exam review. Most of the injured are believed to be students, though officials initially declined to release detailed information about the victims.

A massive law enforcement response was launched in the immediate aftermath of the shooting. More than 400 officers from local, state, and federal agencies flooded the area around the Ivy League campus as police searched for the gunman. Students and staff were ordered to shelter in place for several hours as the investigation unfolded.

Early descriptions released by police identified the suspect as a man in his 30s wearing dark clothing. Surveillance footage of the suspect during the incident was circulated to aid the search.

By early Sunday morning, officials confirmed that a person of interest was in custody. Josh Estrella, communications director for Providence Mayor Brett Smiley, said authorities had detained an individual connected to the shooting. Law enforcement has not yet released the suspect’s name or detailed information about possible charges.

A CNN crew reported heavy police activity overnight at a Providence-area hotel that officials on the scene said was connected to the investigation. The university later announced that the shelter-in-place order had been lifted and that campus security measures remained in effect.

President Donald Trump said he had been briefed on the attack and confirmed that federal authorities were involved. Writing on Truth Social, Trump said the FBI was on the scene and expressed support for the victims and their families. He later clarified that initial reports about the suspect’s status had been updated as the situation developed.

“God bless the victims and the families of the victims,” Trump wrote. Speaking to reporters at the White House, he described the shooting as “terrible” and urged the nation to pray for those killed and wounded.

Providence Mayor Brett Smiley called the attack devastating, noting the timing just days before the holiday season. “We are a week and a half away from Christmas,” he said at a news conference. “Two people died today and others are in the hospital. Please pray for those families.”

Brown University, located on College Hill in Rhode Island’s capital city, is a private institution with hundreds of academic and residential buildings. University officials said they are cooperating fully with law enforcement as the investigation continues.