by Stefan J. Bos, Worthy News Chief International Correspondent
PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND, USA (Worthy News) – American authorities have detained “a person of interest” following a deadly shooting at Brown University in the U.S. state of Rhode Island that officials said killed two students and wounded nine others, prompting a campus lockdown and renewed debate over security at the nation’s universities.
The shooting occurred Saturday inside the university’s Barus & Holley engineering building as students were preparing for or taking final exams, officials said.
Witnesses reported hearing multiple gunshots before chaos erupted and students fled or barricaded themselves inside classrooms, showed video footage obtained by Worthy News. “Police, police. Police. Providence Police. Hands, hands, hands. Hands up. Hands. Hands,” shouted heavily armed special
forces rescuing students.
“Just keep your hands up for us. Obviously, there’s something going on. We’re here to help you. Just listen to what we have to say, okay? All right, breathe,” one of the policemen said.
“Anybody hurt? Nope? All right, just listen to our commands. We will get you out of here safely. Is this it? Is this the group? All right, guys, if you have the bags with phones, go grab it now. Quickly. Go, go, go. Quick, go. Get orderly fast. Let’s go. Single file. Good job,” he added.
SUSPECT DETAINED, INVESTIGATION CONTINUES
Hours later, Providence police said a 24-year-old man from Wisconsin was taken into custody late Saturday as a person of interest.
Authorities stressed that the suspect has not yet been formally charged, and investigators have not confirmed whether he has any direct affiliation with the Ivy League university.
Law enforcement officials said firearms and ammunition were recovered at the time of the arrest. Police added that they are not actively searching for additional suspects, but emphasized that the investigation remains ongoing.
The university remained in lockdown for several hours as local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies searched the area.
Brown University later confirmed that most of the wounded were students. Several victims remain hospitalized, some in critical but stable condition, while others have been treated and released.
Brown President Christina Paxson described the shooting as a “tragic and senseless act of violence” and announced the suspension of academic activities, including final exams, as the campus community mourns.
OFFICIALS CONDEMN ATTACK
Providence Mayor Brett Smiley stressed that the shooting marked a dark day for the city and the state.
“This is a tragedy that the city of Providence and the state of Rhode Island prayed would never happen,” Smiley told reporters.
Rhode Island Governor Dan McKee also condemned the violence, pledging full state support for the investigation and for affected students and families.
Police said there is no ongoing threat to the public, though a heightened security presence remains on and around the campus.
Investigators are working to determine the motive for the attack and how the suspect accessed the building.
The shooting adds to growing concerns over gun violence at U.S. educational institutions, even as universities grapple with balancing open campuses and security.
Copyright 1999-2026 Worthy News. This article was originally published on Worthy News and was reproduced with permission.
More Worthy News
Israel expanded its military campaign against Hezbollah on Monday, striking more than 70 targets across Lebanon as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to increase pressure on the Iranian-backed terror group following a sharp rise in drone and rocket attacks on northern Israel.
A federal appeals court is weighing whether Kansas City can use its public accommodation ordinance to require Christian counselors to counsel gay married couples despite the counselors’ biblical convictions on marriage and sexuality.
Tens of thousands of evangelical Christians gathered in the Netherlands for one of Europe’s largest multi-day Christian events, with organizers and participants expressing hopes for spiritual revival in the nation and across Europe.
President Donald Trump pushed back Monday against sharp criticism from Republicans and former administration officials over a potential U.S.-Iran agreement, insisting that any final accord must prevent Tehran from obtaining a nuclear weapon or it will not be signed.
President Donald Trump said Monday that countries involved in negotiations over Iran should be required to join the Abraham Accords, signaling that the White House is seeking to turn a possible Iran agreement into a wider regional realignment that includes normalization with Israel.
Tensions remained high in Serbia’s capital Belgrade on Sunday after at least tens of thousands of people demanded elections and rallied against what they view as the increasingly authoritarian rule of President Aleksandar Vučić, with violence erupting after the protest and more than 20 people arrested.
Investigations were ongoing Sunday into the killing of three senior Kuki-Thadou Christian church leaders by unidentified gunmen in India’s northeastern Manipur State, Christian investigators told Worthy News.