A frantic manhunt is ongoing in Providence, Rhode Island, following a deadly mass shooting at the prestigious Brown University that resulted in two fatalities and nine individuals wounded. The incident, which has sent shockwaves through the Ivy League community, occurred on Saturday in a campus building where students were taking their final exams.
Chaos on Campus: Eyewitness Account and Police Response
A gunman armed with a rifle entered the building and opened fire before fleeing the scene. Joseph Oduro, a teaching assistant present during the attack, provided a harrowing account to CNN. He described making direct eye contact with the assailant who entered from the back of an auditorium. "I looked at my students and signaled them to come to the front, and then I just ducked," Oduro stated. "He came in, pointed the gun and then screamed something... then he just started shooting right after that."
In the immediate aftermath, heavily armed police officers flooded the area, and a lockdown with a shelter-in-place order was enforced across the campus and parts of the city. Authorities released a brief 10-second video clip showing the suspect from behind, walking briskly down a deserted street after the attack.
Investigation Takes a Turn: Person of Interest Released
Initially, the investigation seemed to have a breakthrough when FBI Director Kash Patel announced that local police had provided federal agents with a lead, leading to a person being detained. However, by late Sunday, authorities had to reverse their position. Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Neronha stated there was insufficient evidence to connect the detained individual to the shooting, adding, "I think it's fair to say there's no basis to consider him." This development has renewed fears and anxiety within the community.
Providence Mayor Brett Smiley acknowledged the distress, telling US media, "We know that this is likely to cause fresh anxiety for our community." He later expressed his sorrow on CNN, saying, "It is shocking and so terribly sad. I know the students here, many of whom were sheltering for many, many hours last night. They're all incredibly shaken up."
Victims and Aftermath of the Tragedy
All victims of the shooting were confirmed to be students. Of the nine wounded, one remains in critical condition, seven are in stable condition, and one has been discharged from the hospital. In response to the tragedy, university officials postponed all final exams that were scheduled for Sunday.
This attack marks another grim entry in the United States' long list of mass shootings. According to the Gun Violence Archive, which defines a mass shooting as an incident where four or more people are shot, there have been more than 300 such incidents in the country so far this year. Mayor Smiley echoed a sentiment felt by many communities, stating on CNN, "This should not be normal. This should not be the case that every community needs to prepare for something like this to happen. And I certainly never thought that it would actually happen in Providence, although we were well prepared for it." The event highlights the persistent political deadlock in the US over measures to restrict access to firearms.
