Investigators say the search for the shooter who killed two people and injured nine at Brown University could take “some time” after police released an initial person of interest.
Providence police said a man in his 20s was detained at a hotel in Coventry, Rhode Island, several miles away from the university campus, following Saturday’s shooting. But officials announced they planned to release him during a press conference late Sunday night.
“We will have our resources amplified by the state police, by the FBI, by the ATF, by the DEA, by the Marshals Service, and others as we develop leads and reach and move towards justice in this case. This could happen very quickly, but it could take some time,” Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Neronha told reporters.
As of Sunday, seven injured students were in critical but stable condition, while one remained in critical condition, according to Brown University President Christina Paxson. One injured student was also treated and released from the hospital.
More than 400 law enforcement personnel are joining the search for a suspect. Officials released a video of a person they believe is a suspect, a male dressed in black who has not yet been publicly identified.
Key Points
- Manhunt continues as person of interest released
- Providence police release new video of person of interest
- Manhunt could take 'some time,' officials say
- What we know about the victims
- Student reveals moment gunman burst into lecture hall
- Brown: No immediate threat to university - but remain vigilant
Watch: 'Survivor' alum Eva Erickson gave an update on the Brown University shooting
20:40 , Katie HawkinsonThey survived school shootings. Now these Brown students are angry and in shock after university killings
20:20 , Ariana BaioFor two Brown University students, receiving a campus-wide emergency text message of an active shooter triggered memories of school shootings they experienced as children.
Mia Tretta, 21, a junior at the university, survived a gunshot wound to the stomach in 2019 when a boy began firing at Saugus High School in Santa Clarita, California. Her best friend, Dominic Blackwell, was killed.
Tretta said she spent Saturday evening locked down in her dorm room, learning that two students were killed and nine others were injured in a mass shooting at the Rhode Island university.
Keep reading:
Brown University students who survived other school shootings are angry and in shock
JD Vance pays tribute to second Brown University student killed in shooting
20:00 , Katie HawkinsonVice President JD Vance has paid tribute to Mukhammad Aziz Umurzokov, one of two Brown University students killed in Saturday’s shooting.
“It looks like the second victim in the Brown shooting has been identified, a brilliant young man who dreamed of being a surgeon,” he wrote on X. “May God rest the soul of MuhammadAziz Umurzakov. Say a prayer for everyone affected by this terrible tragedy, right before Christmas.”
Earlier Monday, Vance honored Ella Cook, who was also killed in the shooting. Cook served as the vice president of the Brown University College Republicans.
“This beautiful young girl was one of the murdered students at Brown University,” Vance wrote on X. “It takes special courage to lead an organization of conservatives on a left wing campus, and I am very sorry our country has lost one of its bright young stars. Eternal rest grant unto her, O Lord.”
Providence police release new video of person of interest
19:43 , Katie HawkinsonPolice in Providence, Rhode Island, have released a new video of the person of interest wanted in connection with the Brown University shooting.
The video shows a figure dressed in dark clothing walking down a residential street.
CNN analyst says local police have thrown 'FBI under the bus'
19:28 , Katie HawkinsonJuliette Kayyem, CNN’s senior national security analyst, said she had “never seen a local jurisdiction throw the FBI under the bus” before this week’s investigation into the Brown University shooting.
This comes after investigators announced last night that they released a person of interest, meaning the search is still on for the suspected shooter after two people were killed and nine were injured on the Rhode Island campus.
“I think it’s kind to call it a ‘manhunt’ right now, in the sense that manhunt generally means you know who you’re looking for,” Kayyem told CNN.
“I had never seen a local jurisdiction essentially throw the FBI under the bus, not just saying ‘we’re in charge,’ but saying ‘look, that lead that led us to the person of interest — who ended up not being the person of interest — essentially was run by the FBI.’ They said so explicitly,” she later added.
A list of deadly shootings on college campuses in the US
19:05 , Associated PressA shooting Saturday at Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island, left two people dead and at least eight other critically injured. Authorities were still searching for a suspect in the hours afterward.
Here is a look at other deadly shootings on U.S. college campuses in recent decades:
Injured Brown University student in 'critical but stable condition'
18:53 , Katie HawkinsonKendall Turner has been identified as one of the nine students injured in the shooting at Brown University on Saturday.
Durham Academy, a private K-12 school in Durham, North Carolina, told Fox News that Turner graduated from the school earlier this year.
“We were deeply saddened to learn that Kendall Turner ’25, a beloved Durham Academy alumna, was wounded in the mass shooting that occurred at Brown University,” the school’s statement said. “Her family has informed us that she is currently in critical but stable condition and is receiving care at a local hospital.”
“Her parents are with her. We hope for her continued strength and recovery,” the statement reads.
In pictures: Community members hold candlelight vigil for Brown University victims
18:40 , Katie Hawkinson
Watch: Brown University junior, who experienced school shooting in high school, says she chose school because it 'felt safe'
18:13 , Katie HawkinsonUSC Trojans coach addresses Brown University shooting
17:55 , Katie HawkinsonLindsay Gottlieb, the USC women’s basketball coach, addressed the shooting at Brown University during a post-game press conference on Sunday, according to the Los Angeles Times.
“It’s the guns,” Gottlieb said. “It doesn’t need to be this way.”
Gottlieb graduated from Brown University in 1999.
“We’re the only country that lives this way,” Gottlieb added. “Parents should not have to be worried about their kids.”
JD Vance pays tribute to Brown University student killed in shooting
17:38 , Katie HawkinsonVice President JD Vance has paid tribute to Ella Cook, one of two Brown University students killed in Saturday’s shooting.
Vance shared a statement from the College Republicans of America, which said that Cook was the vice president of the Brown University College Republicans.
“This beautiful young girl was one of the murdered students at Brown University,” Vance wrote on X. “It takes special courage to lead an organization of conservatives on a left wing campus, and I am very sorry our country has lost one of its bright young stars. Eternal rest grant unto her, O Lord.”
Investigators explored other leads while person of interest was in custody, mayor says
17:23 , Katie HawkinsonOfficials announced Sunday that they were releasing a person of interest in the Brown University campus shooting.
Now, the manhunt for a suspect continues.
Providence Mayor Brett Smiley told CNN that investigators were still exploring other leads while the person of interest was in custody.
“We did not devote all of our focus to that. We certainly wanted to explore it because we had credible information that was worthy of full examination. But other aspects of the investigation remained at full speed while that lead was being explored,” Smiley said.
“I think we all got our hopes up that maybe this was the person and so there’s, there’s more of an emotional setback that has occurred as we’ve had to refocus, to realize that still have, you know, hopefully hours, but maybe days or more ahead,” he added.
Heightened law enforcement presence on campus as manhunt continues
17:07 , Katie HawkinsonAs the manhunt continues for the suspected shooter, officials say there will be a heightened law enforcement presence in the area.
“There continues to be a heightened amount of local, state and federal police activity in the area as law enforcement continues to investigate and patrol with increased vigilance. The Department of Public Safety has more than doubled its staffing,” Brown University said in a statement late Sunday.
“Law enforcement agencies continue to investigate, and local police have advised they do not believe there is any immediate threat to Brown or the local community,” the statement reads.
Survivor contestant Eva Erickson reveals she missed Brown University shooting by minutes
16:50 , Carsen HoladaySurvivor alum Eva Erickson has revealed she avoided the deadly shooting at Brown University by mere minutes.
A shooter dressed in all black killed at least two people and hurt nine others Saturday afternoon at the Ivy League school, where Erickson, 25, is a doctoral candidate. Hours after the shots were first fired, Erickson shared an update to Instagram from the terrifying scene.
“I am safe,” Erickson initially said on social media. “Yes, my office at Brown is in the building of the shooting, but I was very lucky; I left my lab 15 minutes prior to the active shooter alert.”
Keep reading:
Survivor contestant reveals she missed Brown University shooting by minutes
What do we know about the victims?
16:30 , Katie HawkinsonTwo students were killed and nine people were injured in Saturday’s shooting at Brown University.
As of Sunday, seven injured students were in critical but stable condition, while one remained in critical condition, according to university president Christina Paxson.
The students who were killed have been identified as Ella Cook and Mukhammad Aziz Umurzokov.
Umurzokov was studying to become a neurosurgeon, according to a GoFundMe campaign launched by his family. He was described as “incredibly kind, funny and smart,” and his family’s “biggest role model.”
“He always lent a helping hand to anyone in need without hesitation, and was the most kind-hearted person our family knew,” the GoFundMe reads. “Our family is incredibly devastated by this loss.”
Cook, who was from Alabama, was the vice president of the Brown University College Republicans and a parishioner at the Cathedral Church of the Advent in Birmingham.
Reverend Craig Smalley described Cook as an “incredible, grounded, faithful bright light,” according to AL.com. The College Republicans of America said Cook was known for her “bold, brave and kind heart as she served her chapter and fellow classmates.”
Schools across Rhode Island cancel exams
16:12 , Katie HawkinsonSchools in Rhode Island are canceling exams and classes today in the wake of the Brown University campus shooting.
The University of Rhode Island announced that in-person exams will not be held on Monday, though online exams will proceed as scheduled.
The Community College of Rhode Island has also moved today’s classes online, but emphasized there’s “no known threat to our college campuses.”
Brown University announced Sunday it will “cancel all remaining in-person exams for Fall 2025 courses at all schools,” with a few exceptions.
Brown University shooting: Everything we know about the campus attack that left 2 dead and 9 injured
16:01 , Katie HawkinsonTwo students were killed and at least nine others were injured after a gunman fired into a classroom at Brown University on Saturday.
Here’s everything we know about the shooting, the search for the suspected gunman and the victims:
Brown University shooting: Everything we know about the campus attack
Students express fear, concern as manhunt continues
15:49 , Katie HawkinsonBrown University students are concerned about their safety as the manhunt continues for the shooter who killed two people and injured nine on the Rhode Island campus.
Cole Francis, a fourth-year student at Brown University, told CNN the shooting was “terrifying.” After authorities announced they’re still searching for the suspected shooter, Francis said he doesn’t “feel safe here whatsoever.”
“I think that a lot of people found a lot of relief in knowing that the authorities had caught this person and recovered the weapons that this person may have used,” Francis told CNN. “And now to know that he may still be on the street is, is extremely scary and worrisome for a lot of people.”
What to know about Brown University
15:31 , Katie HawkinsonBrown University is a private, Ivy League school in Providence, Rhode Island. It was founded in 1764.
Brown University has more than 11,000 students enrolled, according to the school’s website. This includes more than 7,000 undergraduates, 3,000 graduate students and 600 medical students.
All undergraduates live on campus, and 15 percent of them are the first in their families to attend college.
The school boasts several notable alumni, including at least three Nobel laureates and several MacArthur Fellows. Other recognizable alums include former Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen and financier John D. Rockefeller Jr.
Several notable actors have also attended, including John Krasinski, Emma Watson and Julie Bowen.
Alabama lawmakers honor slain Brown University student
15:08 , Katie HawkinsonAlabama lawmakers are paying tribute to Ella Cook, a Brown University student from the state who was killed in Saturday’s shooting.
“Wesley and I join the Mountain Brook community and all of Alabama in mourning the heartbreaking loss of one of our own, Ella Cook, who was senselessly killed over the weekend on Brown University’s campus,” Senator Katie Britt said in a statement.
“I am heartbroken to hear that Mountain Brook’s Ella Cook was among those killed over the weekend at Brown University. Our hearts and our prayers are with the Cook family and everyone impacted by this senseless killing,” Senator Tommy Tuberville wrote on X.
Manhunt could take 'some time,' officials say
14:58 , Katie HawkinsonInvestigators said the manhunt for the Brown University shooter could take “some time” after a person of interest was released late last night.
“We will have our resources amplified by the state police, by the FBI, by the ATF, by the DEA, by the Marshals Service, and others as we develop leads and reach and move towards justice in this case,” Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Neronha told reporters on Sunday.
“This could happen very quickly, but it could take some time,” he added.
They survived school shootings. Now these Brown students are angry and in shock after university killings
14:41 , Ariana BaioFor two Brown University students, receiving a campus-wide emergency text message of an active shooter triggered memories of school shootings they experienced as children.
Mia Tretta, 21, a junior at the university, survived a gunshot wound to the stomach in 2019 when a boy began firing at Saugus High School in Santa Clarita, California. Her best friend, Dominic Blackwell, was killed.
Tretta said she spent Saturday evening locked down in her dorm room, learning that two students were killed and nine others were injured in a mass shooting at the Rhode Island university.
Keep reading:
Brown University students who survived other school shootings are angry and in shock
Investigators believe lone shooter carried out attack
14:17 , Katie HawkinsonInvestigators believe a lone shooter carried out Saturday’s attack at Brown University, Providence Mayor Brett Smiley told ABC News.
“We do have a small, short clip of video footage that we do believe is the person that we’re looking for,” he said. “And right now we don’t have any evidence to suggest that it was more than that individual which has been seen in that video.”
“We have an enhanced police presence to try to give that comfort, that sense of security. And the search and the investigation is ongoing,” he added.
Anxiety levels have 'risen', says mayor
13:51 , Alex CroftAnxiety levels have “risen” in Providence, Rhode Island following the Brown University shooting on Saturday, but there is no immediate threat to residents, mayor Brett Smiley has said in a Monday morning update.
"We understand that there's a high degree of anxiety and after this individual was released last night, I understand that anxiety level has risen in our community," Smiley told ABC News.
"But it's no different than a day ago, which is that we've received -- continue to receive zero credible threats to our community brown or the broader community."
Investigations continued on Monday, with the killer still on the loose and no definite suspect named.
Student recalls hiding in the bathroom as gunfire rang out
13:28 , Alex CroftRef Bari, 22, a graduate student at Brown University, was inside the Barus & Holley building when he heard a series of loud popping sounds that appeared to be gunfire.
Bari ran out of the building and asked another student running in the street if he could hide with her and her friends and she agreed. They returned to her basement apartment and hid in the bathroom.
"She trusted me," he said. "The only connection between us is we're both students at Brown but beyond that, we don't know each other."
Jack DiPrimio, another graduate student at Brown, said he was initially not concerned when the university went on lockdown because he had experienced many active-shooter drills. The drills have become more common in the U.S. as attacks targeting students have increased.
"I had faced so many lockdowns in high school and even a few at my undergrad, so I wasn't that worried at first," DiPrimio said in a TikTok video after coming out of a five-hour lockdown.
"Maybe I was desensitized."
Democratic senator says Trump launched ‘dizzying campaign’ of violence after Brown shooting
13:05 , Alex CroftA Democratic senator who was a champion of gun reforms in the wake of the Sandy Hook shooting in his state blamed Donald Trump on Sunday for encouraging a “dizzying” campaign of violence, hours after authorities announced that a person of interest was apprehended for a mass shooting at Brown University.
Connecticut Senator Chris Murphy told CNN’s Dana Bash on State of the Union that the president’s rhetoric and actions since returning to the White House made violence “more likely” in America.
Representing the state in the Senate since 2013, the senator is a leading voice for gun safety restrictions among members of his party.
His remarks came after America was rocked by news Saturday evening of a gunman opening fire in an academic building at the Ivy League university in Rhode Island, killing two people and wounding nine others.
“He has been engaged in a pretty deliberate campaign to try to make violence more likely in this country, and I think you’re unfortunately going to see the results of that on the streets of America,” Murphy said.
Brown University shooting: Everything we know about the campus attack that left 2 dead and 9 injured
12:43 , Alex CroftTwo students were killed and at least nine others were injured after a gunman fired into a classroom at a prestigious Ivy League university in Rhode Island.
Saturday’s mass shooting at Brown University in Providence forced campus buildings and parts of the city into lockdown, with students barricading themselves in buildings for hours while hundreds of law enforcement officers swarmed the city.
The suspect escaped before police arrived and — except for one brief surveillance video showing a person dressed in black rounding a corner outside the campus — all but disappeared.
A “person of interest” was detained in the early morning hours Sunday, but officials said he was released late that night.
Graig Graziosi reports on everything we know so far.
Brown University shooting: Everything we know about the campus attack
Person of interest came from FBI tip, police say
12:20 , Alex CroftColonel Oscar L. Perez said the FBI acted on a tip to track down the person of interest.
“There was a tip that came in specifically identifying a person of interest, which was this individual,” he told reporters Sunday.
“Our detectives got on it but this specific one was actually picked up by the FBI ... They ended up locating this individual of interest,” he added.
“At that point, we did a thorough investigation ... drafted some search warrants, came up with some evidence,” Perez said.
But “we didn’t have enough to prosecute anybody so that person was released,” he said.
Rhode Island Attorney General: 'Obviously we have a murderer out there'
11:54 , Alex CroftAs officials acknowledged a massive blow to the Brown University community, Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Neronha told reporters Sunday that “sometimes you head in one direction, and then you have to regroup and go in another, and that’s exactly what has happened over the last 24 hours or so.
“Obviously we have a murderer out there, frankly, and so we’re not going to give away the game plan,” he said.
Providence Mayor Brett Smiley said the news of the release of a person of interest — with no suspect in hand — is “likely to cause fresh anxiety for our community.
“We believe that you remain safe in our community,” he added.
Brown University victims were aspiring neurosurgeon and a family’s ‘bright light’
11:24 , Alex CroftThe loved ones of the two students killed in the shooting at Brown University on Saturday have spoken out, as the investigation into the attack in Rhode Island continues.
Mukhammad Aziz Umurzokov, who was killed on Saturday, was an aspiring neurosurgeon and was described by his family as “the most kind-hearted person.”
Ella Cook, a student from Alabama, also died from her injuries and was described as her family’s “bright light.”
The shooting unfolded at 4 p.m. local time at the Barus and Holley engineering building, where students’ final exams were taking place.
US reporter Owen Scott reports on the victims of the Brown University shooting:
Brown University victims were aspiring neurosurgeon and a family’s ‘bright light’
In pictures: Candles lit during vigil on Sunday evening
11:01 , Alex Croft
Former 'Survivor' contestant left the building just before shooting
10:31 , Alex CroftEva Erickson, a doctoral candidate who was the runner-up earlier this year on the CBS reality competition show "Survivor," said she left her lab in the engineering building 15 minutes before shots rang out.
The engineering and thermal science student shared candid moments on "Survivor" as the show's first openly autistic contestant.
She was locked down in the campus gym following the shooting and shared on social media that the only other member of her lab who was present was safely evacuated, the Associated Press reported.
Alex Bruce, a senior biochemistry student, was working on a final research project in his dorm across the street from the building when he heard sirens outside.
"I'm just in here shaking," he said, watching through the window as officers surrounded his dorm.
Watch: Police release 'person of interest' in Brown University shooting investigation
10:09 , Alex CroftStudent reveals moment gunman burst into lecture hall and made eye contact
09:44 , Alex CroftBrown University student Joseph Oduro has revealed the moment the gunman burst into a lecture hall, dressed head–toe in black and wielding a rifle.
"The gun was so big and long that I genuinely thought, like, okay, this is the end of the road for me,” Oduro, who was in room 160 of the Barus & Holley building alongside around 50 other students, told ABC News.
"We made eye contact. I know he mumbled something, screamed something, I don't know exactly what was said, but he entered the room and you could just see the panic in all the students' eyes. I was standing in the front so as soon as he walked in, he immediately saw me and I immediately saw him."
Oduro dropped to the floor and took cover behind a table, around 30 feet away from the gunman. He estimates that he heard around 40 to 50 gunshots, during a period which “felt like 14 days”.
After texting his parents that he loved them, the gunman left the room, and the students remaining started frozen behind desks until police came into the room.
Trump pays respects to Brown University victims
09:15 , Alex CroftPresident Donald Trump offered his condolences following shootings at Brown University, Bondi Beach and in Syria before his unscripted remarks at a Christmas reception at the White House.
The president addressed a room full of supporters for more than 40 minutes Sunday as First Lady Melania Trump stood by his side.
“I just want to pay my respects, unfortunately,” Trump said. “Two who are no longer with us. Brown University, nine injured. Two are looking down on us from heaven.”
The shooting, which took place on the Ivy League college’s Providence campus on Saturday, left two dead and nine people wounded. After embarking on a multi-agency manhunt, authorities said they have a person of interest in custody.
“Likewise in Australia, as you know there was a terrible attack,” the president added. “That was an antisemitic attack, obviously. I just want to pay my respects to everybody.”
Read more here:
Trump offers condolences after Brown, Bondi Beach and Syria killings
Brown: No immediate threat to university - but remain vigilant
08:52 , Alex CroftBrown University has responded to the news that police were due to release the individual they had detained in connection with the campus shooting on Saturday.
“Law enforcement agencies continue to investigate, and local police have advised they do not believe there is any immediate threat to Brown or the local community,” the university said in a statement late on Sunday night.
Brown noted that the Rhode Island Attorney General had stated that there is “no basis” to consider the released individual a person of interest.
Heightened local, state and federal policy activity remains, as investigations continue and authorities scale up patrols in the area, the statement added.
It also advised “every member of the Brown community to be vigilant in their own activities on campus”.
Shooting took place during busy period for university students
08:29 , Alex CroftThe shooting on Brown university campus took place on one of the busiest moments in the academic calendar - during final exams.
Brown has now canceled all remaining classes, exams, papers and projects for the remainder of the semester and students have been told they can leave the campus.
The response by the university understands the gravity of the shooting and the direct impact it has had on the students.
As police scoured the area for the shooter, many students remained barricaded in rooms while others hid behind furniture and bookshelves. One video showed students in a library shaking and wincing as they heard loud bangs just before police entered the room to clear the building.
University President Christina Paxson teared up while describing her conversations with students both on campus and in the hospital.
"They are amazing and they're supporting each other," she said at a news conference. "There's just a lot of gratitude.”
Watch: Police release brief footage of suspect in mass shooting
08:00 , Alex WoodwardWatch: Senator says Trump ushered in campaign of violence
07:00 , Alex WoodwardSecond victim named in mass shooting wanted to be a neurosurgeon
06:00 , Alex WoodwardMukhammad Aziz Umurzokov was among the two people killed in the mass shooting at Brown University, according to a fundraiser from his family.
“He was incredibly kind, funny, and smart. He had big dreams of becoming a neurosurgeon and helping people,” the fundraiser says.
“He continues to be my family’s biggest role model in all aspects. He always lent a helping hand to anyone in need without hesitation, and was the most kind-hearted person our family knew.”
Another victim, Ella Cook, was remembered by her church in Alabama as an “incredibly grounded and generous and faithful” and a “bright light” in the church and in her community.
Everything we know about the campus attack that left 2 dead and 9 injured
05:30 , Alex WoodwardA “person of interest” was detained in the early morning hours Sunday, but officials said he was released late that night, resuming a manhunt more than 30 hours after the attack.
Here is everything we know.
Brown University shooting: Everything we know about the campus attack
Person of interest came from FBI tip, police say
04:55 , Alex WoodwardColonel Oscar L. Perez said the FBI acted on a tip to track down the person of interest.
“There was a tip that came in specifically identifying a person of interest, which was this individual,” he told reporters Sunday.
“Our detectives got on it but this specific one was actually picked up by the FBI ... They ended up locating this individual of interest,” he added.
“At that point, we did a thorough investigation ... drafted some search warrants, came up with some evidence,” Perez said.
But “we didn’t have enough to prosecute anybody so that person was released,” he said.
They survived school shootings. Now these Brown students are angry and in shock after university killings
04:45 , Ariana BaioFor two Brown University students, receiving a campus-wide emergency text message of an active shooter triggered memories of school shootings they experienced as children.
Brown University students who survived other school shootings are angry and in shock
Rhode Island Attorney General: 'Obviously we have a murderer out there'
04:40 , Alex WoodwardAs officials acknowledged a massive blow to the Brown University community, Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Neronha told reporters Sunday that “sometimes you head in one direction, and then you have to regroup and go in another, and that’s exactly what has happened over the last 24 hours or so.
“Obviously we have a murderer out there, frankly, and so we’re not going to give away the game plan,” he said.
Providence Mayor Brett Smiley said the news of the release of a person of interest — with no suspect in hand — is “likely to cause fresh anxiety for our community.
“We believe that you remain safe in our community,” he added.
Breaking: Manhunt continues as person of interest to be released
04:22 , Alex WoodwardThe person of interest in the Brown University shooting is being released, according to the mayor of Providence.
“I once again encourage anyone who thinks that they might have relevant information to assist with our ongoing investigation,” Mayor Brett Smiley said in a hastily arranged news briefing Sunday night.
Law enforcement officials said “evidence now points in a different direction.”
The manhunt continues for a suspect who killed two people and injured nine others more than 30 hours after the attack.
Victim named in mass shooting attack was from Alabama, church says
04:15 , Alex WoodwardAn Alabama woman was among the two students killed in the mass shooting at Brown University, according to her church.
Cathedral Church of the Advent in downtown Birmingham said one of its parishioners, Ella Cook, was killed in Saturday’s attack.
“Heartbroken tonight over the news that Ella Cook from Birmingham was killed in yesterday’s shooting at Brown University,” Alabama Rep. Terry Sewell wrote, sharing new
“My prayers are with her family and loved ones,” she said.
'Person of interest' in the Brown University mass shooting was detained on Sunday
03:02 , Brendan RasciusA “person of interest” in the Brown University mass shooting was detained at hotel in Coventry, Rhode Island, early Sunday morning, officials said.
“The people of Providence should breathe a little easier this morning,” Providence Mayor Brett Smiley said at a Sunday press conference.
Brown University shooting: Everything we know about the campus attack
Rhode Island officials say investigation into Brown University shooting remains 'active and ongoing'
02:35 , Brendan RasciusProvidence officials announced on Sunday evening that the investigation into the mass shooting at Brown University “remains active and ongoing.”
More information will be provided as officials obtain “a clearer and more complete picture of the circumstances involved,” Providence Chief Public Information Officer for Public Safety Kristy DosReis said in statement released at 7:58 p.m.
Democratic senator says Trump launched ‘dizzying campaign’ of violence after Brown shooting
02:33 , Brendan RasciusA Democratic senator who was a champion of gun reforms in the wake of the Sandy Hook shooting in his state blamed Donald Trump on Sunday for encouraging a “dizzying” campaign of violence, hours after authorities announced that a person of interest was apprehended for a mass shooting at Brown University.
Connecticut Senator Chris Murphy told CNN’s Dana Bash on State of the Union that the president’s rhetoric and actions since returning to the White House made violence “more likely” in America.
“He has been engaged in a pretty deliberate campaign to try to make violence more likely in this country, and I think you’re unfortunately going to see the results of that on the streets of America,” Murphy said.
John Bowden reports...
Dem senator says Trump launched ‘dizzying campaign’ of violence before Brown shooting
Brown student aided shot classmate ‘to keep them from bleeding out’
02:03 , Brendan RasciusAmith Chintalapati, a junior at Brown University, told NBC News that he was walking on campus yesterday when he saw victims of the mass shooting on the street.
“I saw some people huddled on the ground, and I realized that two people got shot and had made their way to the street, and people were applying pressure and trying to keep them from bleeding out,” he told the outlet on Sunday.
He said one of the victims was a classmate of his and that he rushed to assist.
“I just kept telling him he was OK and to breathe and just wait for the EMTs to arrive,” Chintalapati said.
Soon after, police arrived and instructed him to take shelter. He hid out in a dorm room for about eight hours and was informed around midnight that his classmate was in stable condition in the hospital.
Federal agents visited Wisconsin home tied to person of interest in Brown University shooting
01:05 , Brendan RasciusFederal agents were observed at a home tied to Benjamin Erickson, a 24-year-old Wisconsin man, who is a person of interest in the mass shooting at Brown University, according to the Providence Journal.
Agents were seen at the home, located in Cedarburg, around 4 p.m. on Sunday.
Dem senator who backed Sandy Hook reforms says Trump launched ‘dizzying campaign’ of violence
00:45 , John BowdenA Democratic senator who was a champion of gun reforms in the wake of the Sandy Hook shooting in his state blamed Donald Trump on Sunday for encouraging a “dizzying” campaign of violence, hours after authorities announced that a person of interest was apprehended for a mass shooting at Brown University.
Dem senator says Trump launched ‘dizzying campaign’ of violence before Brown shooting
Rhode Island Blood Center says its received 'outpouring of support' following Brown University mass shooting
00:42 , Brendan RasciusThe Rhode Island Blood Center, a non-profit blood donation organization, said it has received an “outpouring of support” following the mass shooting at Brown University on Saturday.
“Thank you, Providence,” the organization said in a statement on Sunday evening. “Because of the incredible outpouring of support from our community, the Providence Donor Center will close today at 6:00 PM. Thank you to every donor and community member who stepped up today — your compassion and generosity mean everything.”
Democratic lawmaker says mass shootings shouldn't be normalized
00:11 , Brendan RasciusRep. Jason Crow, a Colorado Democrat, called for an end to the “epidemic” of gun violence following the mass shooting at Brown University.
“From Columbine, to Sandy Hook, to yesterday’s tragic shooting in Providence, too many of our communities have been shattered by senseless gun violence,” Crow wrote on X on Sunday evening. “It shouldn’t be normal. It can’t be normal. We have to fight every day to keep our kids safe and end this epidemic.”
Identified person of interest is an Army veteran
Sunday 14 December 2025 23:00 , Ariana BaioBenjamin Erickson, the man whom law enforcement sources have told the Washington Post, is the person of interest detained by authorities, was in the U.S. Army from 2021 until 2024, according to records.
Erickson, 24, served as an infantryman for three years. His service ended in November 2024.
Officials have not publicly identified Erickson as the person of interest. The Providence police chief and Mayor Smiley have said they will not identify the person of interest until all evidence has been gathered and they are ready to pursue charges.
More than 200 gather for candlelit vigil
Sunday 14 December 2025 22:45 , Ariana BaioMore than 200 people in the Providence and Brown University community gathered in Lippitt Memorial Park this evening to remember the two students who were killed and nine other injured in a shooting.
Joe Biden calls for gun violence prevention
Sunday 14 December 2025 22:30 , Ariana BaioStudents should have the freedom to learn in school without having to fear for their lives. Period. We must never accept senseless violence that leaves families and communities shattered. It pierces the very soul of our nation. We can and must do more to prevent gun violence and…
— Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) December 14, 2025
They survived school shootings. Now these Brown students are angry and in shock after university killings
Sunday 14 December 2025 21:51 , Ariana BaioFor two Brown University students, receiving a campus-wide emergency text message of an active shooter triggered memories of school shootings they experienced as children.
Mia Tretta, 21, a junior at the university, survived a gunshot wound to the stomach in 2019 when a boy began firing at Saugus High School in Santa Clarita, California. Her best friend, Dominic Blackwell, was killed.
Tretta said she spent Saturday evening locked down in her dorm room, learning that two students were killed and nine others were injured in a mass shooting at the Rhode Island university.
Read more here:
Brown University students who survived other school shootings are angry and in shock
New York City is increasing campus security after Rhode Island mass shooting
Sunday 14 December 2025 21:49 , Brendan RasciusNew York City officials announced today that they are ramping up security at local college campuses following yesterday’s mass shooting at Brown University in Rhode Island.
New York City Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said during a news conference that this is being done as a precaution and that there is no active threat.
A Democratic congresswoman criticized Trump for his remarks about Brown University shooting
Sunday 14 December 2025 21:32 , Brendan RasciusCongresswoman Angie Craig, a Minnesota Democrat, criticized President Donald Trump for his remarks today about the Brown University shooting.
“Parents will bury their children this week due to the senseless act of gun violence at Brown yesterday,” Craig wrote on X. “His response is that ‘things can happen.’ This is President Trump’s America.”
Person of interest identified as 24-year-old Benjamin Erikson, law enforcement sources tell NBC News
Sunday 14 December 2025 21:16 , Brendan RasciusThe man taken into custody as a person of interest in the Brown University shooting is 24-year-old Benjamin Erickson, multiple law enforcement officials with knowledge of the matter told NBC News.
Rhode Island governor directs flags to fly at half-staff to honor victims of shooting
Sunday 14 December 2025 21:15 , Brendan RasciusRhode Island Governor Dan McKee ordered flags at state buildings to be lowered to half-staff to honor the victims of the mass shooting at Brown University.
“In the face of tragedy, Rhode Island will do what we do best: come together with compassion and resolve to support one another,” McKee said in a statement on Sunday.
Brown University senior recounts his experience sheltering on campus
Sunday 14 December 2025 21:01 , Brendan RasciusA former CNN intern and senior at Brown University recounted his experience on campus during Saturday’s mass shooting.
Lydell Dyer told CNN on Sunday that he was inside the school gym when an email alerted him about an active shooter.
“We didn’t really have that much of a protocol in place,” Dyer said. “It was me and one other student who were working there. We were very lucky that there was another faculty member there who helped us. But, you know, once we heard about the active shooter, we went into lockdown.
“We gathered everybody up,” he added. “Went to the third floor of our building. We locked the doors. We had to turn off the lights, close the blinds, and then we sat there in silence and darkness for hours.”
North Carolina school confirms alumna is among injured
Sunday 14 December 2025 20:45 , Ariana BaioDurham Academy, a private K-12 school in Durham, North Carolina, said that one of its recent graduates is among the students at Brown University who were injured, in an email to the Associated Press.
The school said it’s former student, Kendall Turner, was in critical but stable condition as of Sunday and that her parents were with her.
“Our school community is rallying around Kendall, her classmates, and her loved ones, and we will continue to offer our full support in the days ahead,” the school said.
Watch: Connecticut Senator Chris Murphy says Trump has 'increased violence' in the US after Brown University shooting
Sunday 14 December 2025 20:30 , Ariana BaioSuspected shooter found with two handguns: report
Sunday 14 December 2025 20:00 , Ariana BaioOfficials reportedly recovered two handguns when they took a person of interest into custody Sunday morning, a law enforcement official told the Associated Press.
Along with the handguns, authorities reportedly found two loaded 30-round magazines.
Officials in Rhode Island have not formally released any information about the suspect or evidence collected.
In Photos: Brown University, one day after the deadly shooting
Sunday 14 December 2025 19:45 , Ariana Baio
Melania Trump offer prayers to gun violence victims
Sunday 14 December 2025 19:18 , Ariana BaioGiving brief remarks at the White House Christmas reception, First Lady Melania Trump said she heart was with the families who lost loved ones to gun violence this weekend.
“First of all, my thoughts and prayers go to the families of people who lost their loved ones around the world,” Melania Trump said.
“In this difficult time, we are celebrating here Christmas, and I’m thinking about them, what they’re going through.
“My heart is with them,” she added.
Officials are gathering evidence for prosecutors to file charges
Sunday 14 December 2025 19:00 , Ariana BaioThe Providence police chief said law enforcement were working quickly to gather all evidence applicable to the investigation into the shooting at Brown University, in the hopes prosecutors can file charges quickly.
The person of interest detained cannot be held for more than 48 hours when arrested on a weekend, according to Rhode Island criminal law.
"We're going to work with the attorney general's office to make sure that we have the right legal requirements for the charges," Perez said, per NBC News.
Seven students remain hospitalized
Sunday 14 December 2025 18:30 , Ariana BaioOf the nine students who were injured in the Brown University shooting, seven remain hospitalized in stable condition.
One is considered to be in critical condition but is also stable, officials said Sunday.
Another student is expected to be discharged sometime on Sunday.
Trump sends 'deepest regards and respects' to families of two killed students
Sunday 14 December 2025 18:12 , Ariana BaioAt the White House Christmas Reception, Trump began remarks by acknowledging the two students killed and nine others injured at Brown University on Saturday evening.
“Brown University – great school, really one of the greatest schools anywhere in the world,” Trump said.
“Things can happen. To the nine injured, get well fast and to the families of those two that are no longer with us, I pay my deepest regards and respects from the United States of America.”
Now: Trump speaking at White House
Sunday 14 December 2025 18:07 , Ariana BaioPresident Donald Trump is speaking at the White House now, after the deadly shooting at Brown University.
Student who survived attack told mayor active shooter drills helped
Sunday 14 December 2025 18:00 , Ariana BaioDuring Sunday afternoon’s press conference, Mayor Smiley said that one of the survivors of the shooting told him that active shooter drills helped prepare him for what to do during the shooting.
“[He] Literally said to me, ‘You know that active shooter drill they made me do in high school actually helped me in the moment. Which at the same time provided me hope and was so sad,’” Smiley told reporters.
“We shouldn’t have to do active shooter drills, but it helped.”
Person of interest is in mid-20s, police chief says
Sunday 14 December 2025 17:44 , Ariana BaioThe Providence police chief said the person of interest is a male in their mid-20s.
Earlier reporting indicated the suspect may have been in their 30s.
Patel says a lead from Providence police led to detaining person of interest
Sunday 14 December 2025 17:26 , Ariana BaioFBI Director Kash Patel said Sunday that a “lead” from the Providence Police Department helped lead local, state and federal law enforcement to detain a person of interest at a hotel in Coventry, Rhode Island.
Patel said using the lead, the FBI’s Cellular Analysis Survey Team helped provide geolocation data that led to the person of interest.
Despite posting that information, local police in Providence said they would not confirm anything in order to maintain the integrity of the investigation.
An update on the @FBI response at Brown University:@FBIBoston established a command post to intake, develop and analyze leads, and run them to ground.
— FBI Director Kash Patel (@FBIDirectorKash) December 14, 2025
We activated the FBI’s Cellular Analysis Survey Team, to provide critical geolocation capabilities.
As a result, early… pic.twitter.com/KONDEbrduR
Mayor met with survivors in hospital
Sunday 14 December 2025 17:09 , Ariana BaioMayor Brett Smiley says he met with some of the victims and their families at the hospital.
“These survivors are receiving excellent care, and the resilience that these survivors showed and shared with me is frankly pretty overwhelming,” Smiley said.
Officials will hold a memorial Sunday night
Sunday 14 December 2025 17:06 , Ariana BaioMembers of the community are invited to Lippitt Memorial Park Sunday at 5 p.m. for a lighting that will serve as a small memorial for the two individuals who were killed in a shooting.
The community was expected to gather in the park for a lighting to mark the first night of Hanukkah.
Mayor says no major updates
Sunday 14 December 2025 17:03 , Ariana BaioProvidence Mayor Brett Smiley said Sunday afternoon there were no major updates to share on law enforcement’s ongoing investigation into the shooting at Brown University.
Officials said they would provide updates as necessary but would be careful not to release information that could compromise their probe.
Officials hold press conference
Sunday 14 December 2025 17:01 , Ariana BaioOfficials are holding a press conference to provide updates on the investigation.
First year Brown student describes helping seriously injured classmate
Sunday 14 December 2025 16:33 , Ariana BaioSpencer Yang, a first-year student at Brown University who was shot in the leg during a shooting at the school Saturday evening, described how he helped a seriously injured student as they hid behind seats in a classroom.
“To keep him conscious, I just started talking to him, so he didn’t close his eyes and fall asleep,” Yang, 18, told the New York Times in an interview from the hospital.
“I handed him my water,” Yang said. “He wasn’t able to respond that well. He was just there nodding and making noise.”
The other student is now in stable condition.
Yang was in a lecture-style classroom when a person walked in and began shooting. He described the scene as “chaos,” saying people began running down toward the area where the professor typically stands. He told NYT that the most seriously injured students had not reached the front of the room.
Suspect was taken into custody from nearby hotel
Sunday 14 December 2025 15:46 , Ariana BaioThe person accused of killing two people and injuring nine others at Brown University Saturday evening was taken into custody from a hotel in Coventry, Rhode Island – just several miles away from Providence.
A guest staying at the hotel told CNN he saw a large number of law enforcement officers outside of the building, including FBI, US Marshals and police.
“We came up to see the snow from Florida and we didn’t expect to see this,” the guest, Mark LaFountaine, told CNN.
Photos show hotel room where suspected shooter was apprehended
Sunday 14 December 2025 15:00 , Ariana Baio
Brown postpones finals in wake of shooting
Sunday 14 December 2025 14:40 , Ariana BaioBrown University is postponing all final exams, papers or projects for Fall 2025 in the wake of the devastating shooting that took place Saturday evening.
“Given the deeply tragic events that took place on our campus yesterday, all remaining undergraduate, graduate and medical classes, exams, and papers or projects for the Fall 2025 semester will not take place as scheduled,” Provost Francis J. Doyle III wrote.
“This choice was made out of our profound concern for all students, faculty and staff on our campus.”
Doyle said students can expect further updates later.
Watch: Providence police release brief footage of suspect in Brown University shooting
Sunday 14 December 2025 14:30 , Ariana BaioMass shootings more common in US – which has some of most permissive gun laws in developed world
Sunday 14 December 2025 14:00 , Tara CobhamCompared to many countries, mass shootings in schools, workplaces, and places of worship are more common in the US, which has some of the most permissive gun laws in the developed world. The Gun Violence Archive, which defines mass shootings as any incident in which four or more victims have been shot, has counted 389 of them this year in the US, including at least six such shootings at schools.
Last year, the US had more than 500 mass shootings, according to the archive.
'Breathe a little easier' Providence residents told
Sunday 14 December 2025 13:32 , Graeme MassieProvidence residents should be relieved that a “person of interest” is in custody after an hours-long manhunt, according to the city’s mayor.
“The people of Providence should breathe a little easier this morning,” Providence Mayor Brett Smiley said at a Sunday morning news conference.
Brown students say they waited under desks for two hours during shooting
Sunday 14 December 2025 13:30 , Tara CobhamAs news of the shooting spread, the school told students to shelter in place.
Brown student Chiang-Heng Chien told local TV station WJAR he was working in a lab with three other students when he saw the text about the active shooter situation a block away. They waited under desks for about two hours, he said.
