Brown University Shooting Investigation Continues as Person of Interest Released

A deadly mass shooting at Brown University that killed two students and injured nine others has left investigators back at square one after a person of interest was detained and subsequently released when evidence pointed in a different direction. The shooting occurred Saturday afternoon at approximately 4:22 p.m. ET in the Barus & Holley engineering building on the Providence, Rhode Island campus. A gunman dressed in black opened fire in a first-floor classroom where final exams were taking place, firing more than 40 rounds from a 9mm handgun. All victims were students, according to university President Christina Paxson. Of the nine injured, six were reported in critical but stable condition, one in critical condition, one stable, and one was discharged from the hospital. Eight victims with gunshot wounds were taken to Rhode Island Hospital. Initially, authorities detained a 24-year-old man from Wisconsin as a person of interest Sunday morning. The suspect was traced to a Hampton Inn hotel room in Coventry, approximately 20 miles southwest of the campus, where law enforcement sources reported finding two firearms - a revolver and a small Glock handgun with a laser sight, along with two loaded 30-round magazines. However, in a dramatic setback to the investigation, authorities announced Sunday night that the person of interest would be released. "Evidence now points in a different direction," Governor Dan McKee said at a news conference. Providence Police Chief Oscar Perez acknowledged that while "a quantum of evidence" had justified the initial detention, the investigation would continue following where evidence leads. Rhode Island Attorney General Peter F. Neronha stated, "We have not yet solved this case, but I'm confident we're going to do that, and I am confident we're going to do that in the very near future." The release has sparked fresh concerns in the community. "We know that this is likely to cause fresh anxiety for our community," Providence Mayor Brett Smiley said, while maintaining that there was no need to reimpose shelter-in-place orders. Officials are now combing through surveillance video for additional clues, though a short clip of the suspected shooter did not reveal the person's face. The investigation remains fully active between all agencies, with no specific threats reported to the community since the initial 911 call. The seven-story Barus & Holley building houses 117 laboratories, dozens of classrooms, and three lecture halls. The university has canceled all classes and finals for the remainder of the semester following the tragedy. This incident marks the 389th mass shooting in the United States for 2025, according to the Gun Violence Archive, which defines mass shootings as having four or more victims killed or injured, not including the attacker. The manhunt for the actual perpetrator continues as federal and local law enforcement officials work to solve the case that has shaken the Ivy League institution and the broader Providence community.