Additional Coverage:
- Authorities say they will release person of interest questioned after Brown University shooting (irishstar.com)
Person of Interest Released in Brown University Shooting, Investigation Takes New Turn
Providence, RI – In a dramatic shift in the ongoing investigation, authorities announced Sunday night that a person previously detained in connection with Saturday’s fatal shooting at Brown University will be released. This development comes after the investigation has taken law enforcement in a “different direction,” according to officials.
The disclosure, made at a late-night press conference, marks a significant turn in the inquiry into the attack that left two students dead and nine injured on the Ivy League campus. The initial detention of a person of interest had been announced more than 12 hours prior.
The release means that the individual responsible for the deadly shooting may still be at large, prompting fresh concerns within the community. “We know that this is likely to cause fresh anxiety for our community,” stated Mayor Brett Smiley.
Saturday afternoon’s shooting plunged the campus and surrounding Providence neighborhoods into chaos, as hundreds of officers conducted a search for the perpetrator and urged students and staff to shelter in place. The lockdown, which extended into early Sunday, was eventually lifted, but details regarding a potential motive remain unreleased.
Earlier on Sunday, officials had taken a 24-year-old Wisconsin man into custody. While his name was never officially released by authorities, sources familiar with the matter identified him. This individual is now being released.
“I’ve been around long enough to know that sometimes you head in one direction and then you have to regroup and go in another and that’s exactly what has happened over the last 24 hours or so,” commented Attorney General Peter Neronha.
Providence Police Chief Col. Oscar Perez confirmed Sunday afternoon that no one has been charged and that authorities are not actively seeking any other individuals in connection with the incident at this time. Perez declined to comment on any potential connection the detained person might have had to Brown University.
The initial apprehension occurred at a Hampton Inn hotel in Coventry, Rhode Island, approximately 20 miles from Providence. Police officers and FBI agents were present at the scene on Sunday, with a hallway cordoned off by crime scene tape as they conducted their search.
The shooting took place during a critical time in the academic calendar, with final exams underway. In response to the tragedy, Brown University has canceled all remaining classes, exams, papers, and projects for the semester and has advised students that they may leave campus, highlighting the profound impact and gravity of the attack.