Brown University Shooting: Chaos Unfolds, Leaving Two Dead

On December 13, chaos struck Brown University as a shocking shooting unfolded, claiming the lives of two students and injuring nine others. The incident sent students into a state of panic as law enforcement rushed to contain the situation.

Timeline of Events During the Brown University Shooting

At approximately 4:06 PM, reports of gunfire began pouring into the Providence police dispatch. Within the first few minutes, the situation escalated rapidly:

• 4:06:45 PM: Initial reports of a “shooting” were logged.
• 4:06:59 PM: Dispatch confirmed that a person had been shot.
• 4:11:13 PM: Two male victims were reported: one shot in the shoulder and the other in the abdomen.
• 4:12 PM: Descriptions of a suspect in black clothing and a mask began circulating in dispatch logs.
• 4:13:37 PM: A female victim was reported shot multiple times.

Emergency Response

As the crisis unfolded, authorities initiated a lockdown of Brown’s campus while emergency responders scrambled to control the scene. Reports indicated shots fired inside the Barus and Holley engineering building, where many students were studying.

By 4:15 PM, six victims were confirmed and emergency calls continued to peak, with reports of shots still being heard. Authorities began evacuating students to safety, finding individuals hiding in various places within the campus.

As night fell, the shelter-in-place order remained in effect. At about 7:30 PM, buses were provided to transport families to a reunification center.

Investigation and Arrest

Days following the incident, investigators identified the shooter as Claudio Manuel Neves Valente. This native of Portugal had a history with the university as a former student from 2000 to 2003. His body was later discovered in a storage locker in New Hampshire, with officials concluding it was a suicide.

Notably, a person of interest was initially detained the day after the shooting. However, they were released later that day as evidence pointed authorities in another direction.

Ongoing Questions

The motive behind the attack remains unclear. Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Neronha expressed uncertainty about why Neves Valente targeted Brown University, stating, “That is really unknown to us.”

This incident serves as a somber reminder of the reality of gun violence and its impact on educational institutions. As the community mourns, investigations continue to shed light on the tragic events of that day.