Two people were killed and eight were critically wounded at a shooting Saturday at Brown University, the prestigious Ivy League school in Rhode Island, the mayor of Providence told reporters.
The shooting occurred in the Barus & Holley building, a seven-story complex that houses the School of Engineering and physics department. According to the university’s website, the building includes more than 100 laboratories, dozens of classrooms and offices.
Engineering design exams were underway in the building when the shooting occurred.
Mayor Brett Smiley said police were still searching for the shooter.
The suspect was a male in dark clothing who was last seen leaving an engineering building where the attack happened, said Timothy O’Hara, Deputy Chief of Police.
Mayor Brett Smiley said a shelter-in-place was in effect for the area and encouraged people living near the campus to stay inside and not to return home until it is lifted.
“We have all available resources” to find the suspect, Smiley said.
Smiley said officials could not yet disclose details about the victims, including whether they were students.
Brown is on College Hill in Providence, Rhode Island's state capital. The university has hundreds of buildings, including lecture halls, laboratories and dormitories. The Federal Bureau of Investigation and other U.S. federal officials were on the scene, officials said.
University officials initially told students and staff that a suspect was in custody, before later saying that was not the case and that police were still searching for a suspect or suspects, according to alerts issued through Brown’s emergency notification system.
The mayor said a person preliminarily thought to be involved was detained but was later determined to have no involvement.
“We’re still getting information about what’s going on, but we’re just telling people to lock their doors and to stay vigilant,” said Providence Councilmember John Goncalves, whose ward includes the Brown campus. “As a Brown alum, someone who loves the Brown community and represents this area, I’m heartbroken. My heart goes out to all the family members and the folks who’ve been impacted.”
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