Providence, Rhode Island, Mayor Brett Smiley confirmed that two people were killed and eight others were seriously injured after a reported shooting on the campus of Brown University.
Examinations were being held on Saturday when the shooting spree began on the Ivy League campus in the United States.
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Rhode Island officials say the suspect remains at large. They said the gunman was a man dressed in black and left the scene on foot, adding that no weapon had been recovered so far.
Smiley told a news conference that university leaders became aware of the shooting at around 4:05 p.m. local time (9:05 GMT) when emergency responders received a 911 call.
“This afternoon, we can confirm that two people have died. Eight additional people remain in stable but critical condition at Rhode Island Hospital,” Smiley said.
“These are the only known injuries and casualties at this time,” he added. “But as I said, and it’s important to remind people, these numbers can change. We’re still in the early stages.”
Smiley declined to identify the shooting victim, emphasizing that the investigation is ongoing.
“This is a day we hoped would never come to our community again, and it is devastating for all of us,” University President Christina Paxton said in a written statement.
She called on campuses to remain vigilant and adhere to lockdown protocols. “This means locking all doors and prohibiting movement on campus.”
suspect is on the run
At approximately 4:22pm local time (21:22 GMT) on Saturday, the university issued its first emergency alert that there was an active shooter near the Barth and Hawley Engineering and Physics Building.
“Please lock your doors, silence your phones, and hide until further notice,” the university said in an update.
“Remember: Run, if you are in an affected area, evacuate safely if possible. Hide, evacuate if evacuation is not possible. Fight, as a last resort, take action to protect yourself.”
Providence Police Chief Timothy O’Hara said law enforcement immediately cleared the building upon arriving at the scene.
“They did a systematic search of the building, but no suspect was located at that time,” O’Hara said. “They were able to remove that building and provide a safe place for all of the students, faculty and staff who were in that building to congregate.”
He added that it is not yet clear how the suspect entered the building, but that he exited onto Hope Street.
Brown University reported the shooting at 5:27 p.m. local time (22:27 GMT) near Governor Street, about two blocks from the Institute of Engineering and Physics.
It was unclear whether law enforcement had taken the suspect into custody, as conflicting reports circulated online ahead of the press conference.
For example, the university had to retract an early announcement that a suspect had been arrested and write that “police do not have a suspect in custody and continue to search for him.”
US President Donald Trump announced a similar retraction on his online platform Truth Social at around 5:44pm (22:44 GMT) after incorrectly posting that a suspect was in custody.
President Trump also wrote that he was briefed on the mass shooting at Brown University in Rhode Island. “The FBI is on the scene.”
Local law enforcement is stationed on campus, joined by federal agents from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
This incident is currently under investigation.
gun violence trends
Saturday’s shooting was the second incident of gun violence on a college campus this week.
Just four days ago, on December 9, there was a shooting on campus at Kentucky State University in the southern city of Frankfort, leaving one student dead and a second seriously injured. The suspect in the case was identified as Jacob Lee Byrd, a parent of a student at the school.
The risk of gun violence has transformed the American academic experience, with many schools conducting mass shooting preparedness drills.
“This is just the reality of life in America. From first grade to middle school to high school to college, we actively do active shooter training. So they know how to do it,” said Patty Culhane, an Al Jazeera correspondent from Maryland.
“What they’re teaching is ‘avoid, deny, protect,'” she added, citing a popular school safety slogan.
“Avoid” means to move away from danger. “Reject” means advice when escape is impossible. Victims are advised to find shelter, stay out of sight, and use materials to barricade themselves if necessary.
“Defense” is the final step. When it is impossible to avoid or deny danger, this motto advises people in violent situations to do everything possible to protect themselves from harm.
Mass shootings are a relatively common threat in the United States.
The Gun Violence Archive, a nonprofit organization that tracks mass shootings in the United States, has recorded at least 389 mass shootings this year alone. The law defines a mass shooting as an incident in which four or more people, excluding the perpetrator, are shot or killed.
Schools are often targeted. According to a report by the nonprofit group Everytown for Gun Safety, there were 154 shootings on school campuses in 2025, resulting in 49 deaths and 135 injuries.
Tragedy during exam period
Saturday’s shooting occurred at the end of the semester at Brown University. Thursday is the last day of classes for the fall semester, and the school is in the final exam period until December 20th.
At a press conference, school officials said the exam was held from 2pm to 5pm (7pm GMT to 10pm GMT) on Saturday.
Brown University, the seventh oldest university in the United States, is considered part of the prestigious Ivy League, a group of private research universities in the Northeast. According to the website, there are 11,005 students.
Mayor Smiley encouraged community members to reach out to each other as the city deals with the aftermath of Saturday’s shooting.
“These are difficult remaining days and the coming weeks and months will be difficult as this community recovers,” he said. “Each of us can play a small role in supporting our neighbors.”
Meanwhile, Gov. Dan McKee said he has been in contact with the White House and other governors in states where similar mass shootings have occurred in recent years.
“The unthinkable happened,” McKee said. “Our thoughts are with those affected in any way by this and we will continue to provide support to authorities here in Providence and across the state.”
President Trump also encouraged people to pray for brown communities.
Arriving at the White House after watching an Army-Navy football game on Saturday, the president said, “I was fully briefed on the situation at Brown University. What a disaster.”
“It seems like all we can do now is pray for the victims and those seriously injured.”
This is developing news. Details will be announced later.
