Authorities investigating a deadly shooting at Brown University say the sole person of interest taken into custody has been released, after evidence led investigators in a different direction, leaving the case without a publicly identified suspect.
The announcement came late Sunday night, more than 12 hours after officials said a person of interest had been detained following Saturday’s attack inside an engineering building on the Providence, Rhode Island campus. The shooting killed two people and injured nine others during a final exam review session.
Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Neronha said investigators determined there was no basis to continue treating the individual as a person of interest. The person had been detained at a hotel in Coventry, about 17 miles from Providence, after police followed up on a lead. Officials said the individual is no longer considered connected to the attack.
With the release, law enforcement agencies are now intensifying efforts to identify the shooter, including expanded reviews of surveillance video from campus and surrounding neighborhoods. Federal authorities said specialized teams are assisting with geolocation and cellular analysis to help track the suspect’s movements.
The shooting occurred Saturday inside the Barus and Holley engineering building while students were preparing for final exams. Investigators said the gunman entered a classroom and opened fire before fleeing the scene. Hundreds of officers searched the campus and nearby areas in the hours that followed.
Police said one of the injured victims has been discharged from the hospital. One person remains in critical but stable condition, while seven others are listed in stable condition. Among those wounded was Kendall Turner, a recent graduate of Durham Academy in North Carolina and a current Brown student, who was critically injured. Her family has been by her side, school officials said.
University leaders lifted a shelter-in-place order early Sunday but warned that access to parts of campus would remain restricted as the investigation continues. Brown President Christina Paxson announced that all remaining classes, exams and academic assessments for the semester have been canceled, citing the trauma and disruption caused by the attack.
City officials warned of an increased police presence in Providence in the coming days, and some local businesses temporarily closed in response to the violence.
Source: The Guardian