The search for the gunman responsible for a deadly shooting at Brown University entered its third day Monday, as investigators released a previously detained person of interest and acknowledged that the evidence now points elsewhere.
Rhode Island Attorney General Peter F. Neronha said late Sunday that while investigators initially believed the individual may have been connected to the attack, new information led authorities to change course. “Some degree of evidence pointed in that direction,” Neronha said, “but it now points in a different direction.”
The shooting, which took place inside Brown University’s engineering and physics building, left two students dead and nine others wounded. All of the victims were students, according to Brown University President Christina Paxson. Authorities said they will withhold victims’ identities until all families have been formally notified.
Of the nine people treated for gunshot wounds at Rhode Island Hospital, six remain in critical but stable condition, one is in critical condition, one is listed as stable, and one patient has been discharged, hospital officials said Sunday evening.
Police have not ruled out the possibility that the suspect may have fled Rhode Island and said they do not yet know whether the gunman remains in the state.
In response to the attack, Brown University has doubled its security staffing and canceled all classes for the remainder of the semester. Students have been given permission to return home early, while local authorities have increased law enforcement presence both on campus and across Providence.
Providence Mayor Brett Smiley said officials are continuing to coordinate closely with state and federal agencies as the investigation unfolds. University officials have stated there is no immediate threat to campus, though the search for the shooter remains active.
As the community mourns the loss of two students, investigators are urging anyone with information related to the shooting to come forward.
