Authorities in Providence, Rhode Island, announced that a person of interest taken into custody following a deadly shooting at Brown University will be released, citing a lack of sufficient evidence to hold or charge the individual. The shooting, which occurred Saturday afternoon inside an engineering building on campus, left two people dead and nine others injured. Officials say the search for the gunman remains active and ongoing.
The suspect was initially detained at a hotel in Coventry, outside Providence, after federal and local law enforcement coordinated the investigation. City officials emphasized that no credible or specific threats to the broader community have been identified, though police continue to pursue leads, review footage, and canvass nearby neighborhoods for additional evidence. Investigators have released video of a person dressed in black seen near the scene, describing the individual as a continuing person of interest.
The attack sent the Brown University campus into lockdown, with students barricading themselves in dorms and classrooms as police conducted a large-scale search. Authorities later lifted shelter-in-place orders after determining there was no immediate danger, though enhanced law-enforcement presence is expected to remain on campus. University officials canceled most remaining final exams and allowed students to leave campus if they chose.
University leaders confirmed the shooting appears to have occurred during a final exam review session attended largely by underclassmen. Community members gathered Sunday night for a candlelight vigil honoring the victims, as students and residents alike struggled to process the violence. Officials acknowledged the difficulty of the case and urged anyone with relevant information or video footage to come forward as the investigation continues.