Shooting at one of the oldest universities in the USA: two students killed
At least two people died and eight were seriously injured in a shooting that occurred during exams at Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island. Another person sustained minor injuries, according to authorities. The suspect fled.
Emergency services near the university after the shooting. Photo: AP Photo / Steven Senne
The shooter has not yet been apprehended; he is described as a man in black clothing, and details about the suspect are still scarce. Both the deceased and the injured are students, the university administration stated, writes BBC.
Brown University is one of the most prestigious private universities in the USA, a member of the Ivy League. It is one of the oldest higher education institutions in the country.
The shooting took place in an auditorium on the first floor of the engineering faculty, where exams were scheduled to be held in the afternoon. One student told local TV channel WJAR that he hid under a desk for two hours, waiting for the police to finish their operation.
President Donald Trump stated that he had been informed about the shooting. "What a terrible event. All we can do now is pray for the victims. It's a disgrace," Trump told reporters.
"The perpetrator is still at large," Providence Mayor Brett Smiley told reporters. According to him, the number of victims could increase.
Deputy Police Chief Timothy O'Hara said the suspect's identity had not yet been established.
Police believe the suspect is around 30 years old – he was captured on surveillance cameras leaving the building.
Officials stated they are looking for a man in black clothing and released video footage of the suspect, who, according to O'Hara, may have been wearing a mask.
According to authorities, the shooter fled after firing at students in the university's engineering building, where exams were taking place at the time. The weapon has not been found.
Brown University includes hundreds of buildings, including lecture halls, laboratories, and dormitories.
Student Chan-Heng Chien told WJAR that he was working in a lab with three other students when he saw a report of a shooting a block away from them. According to him, they waited under desks for about two hours.
"This is a day that never should have happened, but it did," Brown University President Christina Paxson told reporters, confirming that all or almost all of those affected by the shooting were students.
According to The Gun Violence Archive, there have been 389 similar incidents in the US this year, with six shootings in educational institutions. Last year, there were over 500 cases.
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