At Least 2 Killed, Several More Hurt in Shooting at Brown University

A shooting in the engineering building at Brown University on the second day of final exams left at least two people dead and eight injured and in critical but stable condition Saturday, Providence’s mayor said. The Ivy League school issued an active shooter alert and urged students and staff to take shelter.

Police did not immediately release details about the number of victims, their conditions or the circumstances of the shooting.

The suspect was dressed in black and last seen leaving on foot, according to Deputy Chief of Police Timothy O’Hara. The mayor said a person preliminarily thought to be involved was detained but was later determined to have no involvement.

The reported shooting occurred near the Barus & Holley building, a seven-story complex that houses the university’s School of Engineering and physics department. According to the university’s website, the building includes more than 100 laboratories, dozens of classrooms and offices.

President Donald Trump said late in the afternoon that he has been briefed on the shooting.

“God bless the victims and the families of the victims!” he said on his social media site.

Students were urged to shelter in place as police responded to the scene, and people were told to avoid the area. Officials cautioned that information remained preliminary as investigators worked to determine what had occurred.

Police were actively investigating and still gathering information from the scene, said Kristy DosReis, the chief public information officer for the city of Providence.

Brown is a private institution with roughly 7,300 undergraduate students and more than 3,000 graduate students.

Brown University Provost Frank Doyle said final exams were taking place in the engineering building Saturday afternoon when a shooter opened fire, killing two and critically injuring eight.

Providence, Rhode Island, Mayor Brett Smiley asked for prayers for the families of the victims, noting the coming Christmas holiday. “It’s going to be a difficult rest of the day, difficult days and months ahead as this community heals,” the mayor said.

The mayor declined to say whether the victims were students.

The mayor said a person preliminarily thought to be involved was detained but was later determined to have no involvement.

University officials initially told students and staff that a suspect was in custody, before later saying that was not the case.