Brown University said it will conduct a "large-scale, systematic security review" of its campus following a deadly shooting that has raised serious questions about safety protocols, emergency alerts, and preparedness at the Ivy League school.
Brown spokesperson Brian Clark said in a statement to media outlets that the review will examine security measures across the entire campus, including cameras, access controls, alarm systems, staffing levels, and emergency notification procedures.
"We know we live in a different time," Clark said in the statement.
The announcement comes after a mass shooting Saturday during final exam week that left two students dead and nine others injured.
In the immediate aftermath of the shooting, Brown faced criticism for delays in notifying students, with reports indicating that the first campus-wide alert was sent nearly 20 minutes after the incident began.
The university also acknowledged that emergency sirens were not activated, raising questions about whether existing safety systems functioned as intended.
Clark said Brown has already increased its security presence on campus and is working with law enforcement as the investigation continues.
"Brown has heightened security on campus considerably in recent days," he said.
Clark added that the forthcoming review will be comprehensive and focused on identifying security gaps and needed improvements, while still preserving the open nature of the campus.
"We would hope people understand that college campuses are more like cities than corporate headquarters or a school in a self-contained building with one or a few points of entry. Most spaces on campuses do not have guards or gates at every point of access," the statement said.
Brown President Christina Paxson said Tuesday that campus sirens were not activated because the fatal shooting did not meet the system’s emergency protocols.
The alert system, known as BrownSiren, is designed for broad-scale emergencies in which officials want people to immediately take shelter inside buildings, she said.
"Activating that system could have caused people to rush into Barus & Holley, the building where the shooting took place," she said. "So that’s not a system we would ever use in the case of an active shooter."
When pressed by a reporter who noted that Brown’s website says the siren is used for active shooters, Paxson said, "it depends on the circumstances."
"That’s my understanding," she said.
Newsmax Wires contributed to this report.
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