A massive manhunt is currently underway in Providence, Rhode Island, after a shooting incident at Brown University left two students dead and nine others injured. The attack took place late Saturday during a final exam review session at the private Ivy League research university.
Brown University President Christina H. Paxson confirmed in an email to the community that all victims—both those killed and those injured—were students, calling the event an “unimaginably tragic day.” The campus remains on lockdown as law enforcement officers from local, state, and federal agencies, including the FBI, search for the perpetrator.
The suspect, described only as wearing dark clothing and estimated to be in his 30s, is still at large. Residents near the campus have been advised by police to stay indoors as the active police scene is cleared. More than 400 law enforcement personnel are involved in the search, and President Donald Trump has been briefed on the situation.
President Paxson provided an update on the condition of the injured students early Sunday. One student has been treated and released. Of those still hospitalized, six are in critical but stable condition, one is in critical condition, and one is in stable condition. All exams scheduled for Sunday have been postponed and will be rescheduled.
The tragedy has resonated deeply, particularly with students who have previously experienced school violence. Brown University sophomore Zoe Weissman, a witness to the 2018 shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, expressed a mix of anger and shock at enduring another campus shooting.
Speaking to CNN, Weissman said it “feels like 2018 again,” as the tragedy resurfaced painful memories and emotions. She expressed anger at having to go through such trauma twice and placed direct blame on “congressional inaction” regarding comprehensive gun violence prevention.
Weissman also noted that many of her classmates are turning to her for guidance on navigating the immediate trauma, highlighting the shared sense of shock and the community effort to check in on one another while the lockdown remains in effect. The focus of the community now shifts to supporting one another as they grapple with the aftermath of the violence and await news on the suspect’s apprehension.