Two people are dead and eight critically injured following a shooting on the campus of Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island, officials confirmed Saturday evening. The shooting occurred during final examinations at the Ivy League university, prompting a lockdown and a search for the suspect.
Brown University Shooting: Suspect Remains at Large
Providence Mayor Brett Smiley said university leaders were alerted to the shooting around 4:05 p.m. local time (21:05 GMT) after a 911 call was received. “I can confirm that there are two individuals who have died this afternoon, and there are another eight in critical status, though stable, at Rhode Island Hospital,” Smiley said.
He added that the numbers of casualties may change as the investigation continues. The suspect is described as a man dressed in black who fled the scene on foot, and no weapons have been recovered.
The first emergency update from Brown University was issued at approximately 4:22 p.m. (21:22 GMT), reporting a gunman near the Barus and Holley engineering and physics building. The university instructed people to “Lock doors, silence phones and stay hidden until further notice.”
The university advised individuals to “RUN, if you are in the affected location, evacuate safely if you can; HIDE, if evacuation is not possible, take cover; FIGHT, as a last resort, take action to protect yourself.”
Law enforcement swept the Barus and Holley building but did not locate the suspect, according to Providence Police Chief Timothy O’Hara. “They did a systematic search of the building. However, no suspect was located at that time,” O’Hara said. He added that it is unclear how the suspect entered the building but exited onto Hope Street.
At 5:27 p.m. local time (22:27 GMT), Brown University reported shots fired near Governor Street, about two blocks from the engineering and physics lab.
There was initial confusion regarding a suspect in custody, with both the university and former President Donald Trump erroneously reporting an apprehension before retracting the statements. Trump also stated the FBI was on the scene.
Local law enforcement has been joined by federal agents from the FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). The incident remains under investigation.
A Trend of Gun Violence
Saturday’s shooting is the second major incident of gun violence on a university campus this week. On December 9, a shooting at Kentucky State University in Frankfort, Kentucky, killed one student and critically injured another. The suspect in that case was identified as Jacob Lee Bard, the parent of a student at the school.
The Gun Violence Archive has documented at least 389 mass shootings this year, defining them as incidents where four or more people are shot or killed, not including the perpetrator. Everytown for Gun Safety reports 154 incidents of gunfire on school campuses in 2025, resulting in 49 deaths and 135 injuries.
Exam-Period Tragedy
The shooting occurred as Brown University students were taking final examinations, with the last day of classes for the fall semester having been Thursday. Exams were underway between 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. (19:00 GMT and 22:00 GMT) on Saturday.
Brown University, the seventh-oldest university in the US, has a student body of 11,005, according to its website.
Mayor Smiley encouraged community members to support one another, stating, “It’s going to be a difficult rest of the day, difficult weeks and months ahead as this community heals.” Governor Dan McKee said he had been in contact with the White House and other governors who have experienced similar shootings.
Trump encouraged people to pray for the Brown community, saying, “All we can do right now is pray for the victims and for those that were very badly hurt, it looks like.”
This is a developing news story. More details to come.
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