A former friend of the man accused in the deadly Brown University shooting and the killing of an MIT professor described him as “socially awkward” and prone to anger during their time together in Providence, Rhode Island.
Claudio Manuel Neves Valente Described as Socially Awkward
Authorities say Claudio Manuel Neves Valente opened fire inside the Barus & Holley building at Brown University on Dec. 13, killing students Ella Cook and Mukhammad Aziz Umurzokov and wounding nine others.
On Dec. 15, investigators said Valente went to Brookline, Massachusetts, and shot and killed Nuno Loureiro, an MIT nuclear science and engineering professor from Portugal. Valente, a Portuguese national whose last known residence was in Florida, was later found dead in New Hampshire after a multi-day manhunt.
Scott Watson, a physics professor at Syracuse University, said he met Valente when they both studied at Brown from 2000 to 2001. Watson described his former friend as “socially awkward.”
“During his time at Brown, I was essentially his only friend. He was socially awkward, and so was I, which I think is why we connected. During orientation he was sitting alone, and I walked up and said hello. He was terse at first, but we eventually broke the ice and became close,” Watson told CBS News Boston by email.
Alleged Gunman Complained About Life in the U.S.
Watson said the alleged gunman often complained about moving to the United States and about Brown University. He said Valente found the classes too easy, stating he already knew most of the material and was genuinely impressive.
“I remember him getting irritated about the quality of food on campus, especially the lack of high-quality fish,” Watson said.
The last time Watson spoke to his former friend was in 2003, when Valente told him he was returning to Portugal, though it now appears that may not have been the case. Watson added that the suspected gunman could be kind, but “he often became frustrated — sometimes angry — about courses, professors, and living conditions.”
In a separate interview with CNN, Watson said he was surprised to learn his former friend was the accused shooter, but that in retrospect it made sense. “After a long day of conversations today, I realize maybe the signs were always there,” Watson said.
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