Police Detain Person of Interest in Fatal Brown University Shooting

In a chilling reminder of how quickly violence can strike even the most elite institutions, officials have detained a “person of interest” connected to Saturday’s deadly shooting at Brown University, where a masked gunman opened fire on students gathered for an economics exam review.

The early Sunday morning press conference offered few details, but what we do know is this: a man in his 30s has been taken into custody, and Providence Police believe he acted alone. The suspect's identity and motive have yet to be released.

“The people of Providence should breathe a little easier this morning,” said Mayor Brett Smiley, confirming that the “shelter in place” order was lifted shortly after the arrest.

The attack occurred inside a classroom, where students were studying for finals. Without warning, a masked individual burst in and began shooting, killing one and injuring others. It was an act of cold-blooded violence that shook the Ivy League campus to its core and left more questions than answers.

But while local law enforcement moved swiftly, the same cannot be said for Brown University’s leadership.

University President Christina Paxson, who was in Washington, D.C. at the time, faced sharp criticism after admitting six hours after the shooting that she still had no idea what kind of event was taking place in the classroom when it happened.

“President, with all due respect, SIX HOURS after the shooting, you don’t know what was going on in that classroom?” a reporter pressed.

“I don’t know,” Paxson replied bluntly. “That’s kind of concerning,” the reporter noted.

Indeed it is. In a moment of crisis, students, families, and the public deserved clarity and leadership. Instead, the university delivered confusion, detachment, and vague statements about self-care and wellness.

Final exams have now been canceled, and Brown is advising students to “go home and take care of themselves.” While mental health is certainly important, it’s hard to escape the sense that this elite institution was more prepared to issue trigger warnings than to handle a real emergency.

What we know so far:

• A masked shooter opened fire in a classroom at Brown during an economics exam review

• One student was killed, and others injured

• A person of interest in their 30s has been detained, and police believe no one else is involved

• University leadership was uninformed and unprepared hours after the incident

• All final exams were canceled, and students were told to prioritize their well-being

This tragedy raises serious questions not just about campus safety, but about the competence of university leaders more focused on public relations than crisis response.

Thankfully, law enforcement acted decisively, but the same cannot be said of the institution entrusted with students' lives.

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