Authorities are actively searching for a person of interest in connection with a mass shooting at Brown University’s Barus & Holley engineering building that killed two students and injured nine others, sources familiar with the investigation told CBS News.
The shooting occurred inside Brown’s Barus and Holley engineering building, where exterior doors had been unlocked during exams, according to police. Authorities said the suspect entered the building armed with a firearm and began shooting before escaping.
Providence Police Chief Oscar Perez said officials are seeking a man who “may have information relevant to the investigation” and warned the suspect “could be anywhere.”
The two students killed were identified as Ella Cook, a sophomore from Alabama, and Mukhammad Aziz Umurzokov, an Uzbek-American freshman. Authorities are appealing to the public for tips, reviewing home-security footage, and speaking with local residents. On Wednesday, police released a photo of an individual believed to have been near the primary person of interest.
Investigators are also exploring a potential link between the Brown University shooting and the fatal shooting of MIT nuclear science and engineering professor Nuno F. Gomes Loureiro, 47, at his Brookline, Massachusetts, home two days later. Federal authorities had previously indicated no direct connection, though the inquiry remains open.
The FBI has offered a $50,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible for the Brown University attack. Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Neronha told reporters he is confident the suspect will be caught, saying it is “just a matter of time.”
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Authorities previously released security footage showing a masked individual walking around the Brown campus, possibly “casing” the area before the shooting. Perez emphasised the search remains ongoing and the killer’s whereabouts are currently unknown.
The investigation is entering its sixth day, with law enforcement continuing to canvass neighborhoods and seek video evidence. Authorities are urging anyone with information to come forward as the community struggles with the tragic deaths and injuries.