Federal and local investigators will need to move quickly to sort out motive and possible connections after a shooting at Brown University, former Rep. Jack Kingston said on Newsmax Sunday.
Authorities worked through Sunday to determine whether the violence was tied to ideology, broader unrest, or a lone suspect.
"The question is, Was this a sole gunman?" the Georgia Republican said on Newsmax's "Wake Up America Weekend," adding that investigators should explore whether there was "a political motive," and examine what is known about the suspect and weapon used.
Police in Rhode Island said early Sunday that they had a suspect in custody after the shooting at the Brown University campus Saturday during final exams, leaving two people dead and nine others wounded.
Kingston said the ATF and FBI would assist local police as investigators try to learn whether the incident involved a sole gunman and whether any details point to a specific motive.
He also raised questions about timing and context, including whether the shooting had any relationship to other violent incidents and whether it coincided with the first day of Hanukkah, Dec. 14.
Former Rep. Peter King, also on the show, said the pattern of school and campus shootings has become a grim feature of modern life and said investigators should conduct an "after-action report" to determine whether warning signs were missed and whether security changes are needed.
"This is such a generational thing," King said. "This didn't happen years ago, and now it's almost like you never know when there's going to be another school shooting or how it's going to happen again."
King credited police for moving quickly if the correct suspect was taken into custody, but said investigators must determine whether the suspect had ties to the university and whether security vulnerabilities played a role.
"Should there be more security?" King said, noting campuses historically kept doors open. "In recent years, I don't know if you can afford that luxury."
Kingston said the pace of incidents has forced institutions to learn "the hard way," comparing the current environment with the shock of the Columbine shooting, which he said was once viewed as unthinkable.
"But now, unfortunately for this generation, there have been a number of school attacks," Kingston said.
King, speaking on the anniversary of the Sandy Hook school shooting, said investigators should explore any possible links among recent events but cautioned against assumptions before law enforcement completes its work.
He said authorities must determine whether the shooting was driven by hatred, timing, or personal grievance, or whether it was simply the act of "a lone gunman who is deranged."
"But everything has to be looked into," King said, adding that the findings should inform how other schools and universities plan for future threats.
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