Person of interest in Brown University shooting taken into custody at Rhode Island hotel, source says
CNN
By Lauren Mascarenhas, Chris Boyette and CNN Staff
A person of interest is in custody in connection with yesterday’s shooting at Brown University, officials said this morning. The shooting, which happened during a final exam review session at the private Ivy League university, left two students dead and nine others injured.
The person of interest is in their 30s, Providence Police Chief Col. Oscar Perez said Sunday. The chief would not confirm whether the person of interest is affiliated with the university in any way.
A law enforcement source says the person of interest was detained at a hotel in Coventry, Rhode Island. A CNN crew saw a large police presence gather at the hotel before officers moved in on a room, banging on the door and calling for the person to come out. Coventry is a town outside Providence, where the university is located.
The community can “breathe a little easier” this morning, Providence Mayor Brett Smiley said. A shelter-in-place order has been lifted for the campus, where all remaining classes, exams and projects are canceled, according to the university.
“I live right on the edge of campus. My neighbors walk their dog through campus. It’s very much open to the community, which is part of its strength, and so it’s a really scary and shocking and sad event, not just for Brown, but for all of Providence,” Smiley said.
The mayor said he plans to get in touch with the families of the students who were killed and visit the eight students who remain hospitalized Sunday.
University leaders made the decision to cancel exams, papers and projects for the rest of the fall 2025 semester out of “profound concern for all students, faculty and staff on our campus,” Provost Francis J. Doyle III said in a message to the university community this morning.
“At this time, it is essential that we focus our efforts on providing care and support to the members of our community as we grapple with the sorrow, fear and anxiety that is impacting all of us right now,” Doyle said.
Students who are able may leave campus, while those who remain will have access to services and support, according to the message.
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