PROVIDENCE, R.I. — In a tragic incident, a shooting at Brown University on Saturday afternoon left two students dead and nine others injured. The attack occurred at around 4 p.m. as students gathered in an engineering building for their final exams.
Among the deceased is 19-year-old Ella Cook, a sophomore and vice president of the college Republican club. Brown University President Christina Paxson confirmed that seven of the wounded students were listed in critical but stable condition, while one remained critically injured. The ninth individual, who was also injured, received treatment and was later discharged from the hospital.
Authorities have released surveillance footage showing a person of interest exiting the scene, although the individual’s identity remains unknown. On Sunday, a man from Wisconsin, 24 years old, was taken into custody in a hotel approximately 20 miles from the campus. However, he was subsequently released when new evidence suggested a shift in the investigation, according to Attorney General Peter Neronha.
“I’ve been around long enough to know that sometimes you head in one direction and then you have to regroup and go in another,” Neronha stated at a news conference, acknowledging the ongoing search for the suspect. “We have a murderer out there.”
In response to the shooting, the university issued a shelter-in-place directive that was lifted by Sunday morning. As a result of the violence and ongoing concerns for student safety, Brown has canceled nearly all remaining in-person exams for the semester. Provost Francis Doyle emphasized the university’s commitment to prioritizing care and support for the affected community amid the grief and anxiety that has enveloped it.
University officials and law enforcement are continuing to provide regular updates as the investigation unfolds. As the campus community grapples with the aftermath of the shooting, many are left to ponder the implications of such violence within academic settings.
The university is focused on recovery and support as students process the traumatic events. While classes resume, the priority remains on mental health services and creating a safe environment for those impacted.