Brown University has once again become a focal point of national concern following a mass shooting that occurred on Saturday during final exam week. The incident, which took place at the Barus & Holley engineering and physics building, resulted in at least two fatalities and eight injuries. In response to the event, authorities issued a shelter-in-place order, and nearby streets were blocked off as law enforcement searched for the male suspect.
The tragedy has deeply affected the Brown University community, with President Christina H. Paxson expressing her profound sorrow in a message to students, faculty, and staff. “This is a deeply tragic day for Brown, our families and our local community. There are truly no words that can express the deep sorrow we are feeling for the victims of the shooting that took place today at the Barus & Holley engineering and physics building,” she said.
Rhode Island Hospital, located near the campus, has been placed on lockdown but continues to accept emergency department patients. Law enforcement officials have been praised for their immediate response to the incident, and the university has urged members of the community to remain vigilant and take all necessary precautions to ensure their safety.
President Donald Trump was briefed on the shooting and expressed his condolences. “What a terrible thing it is,” he said. “All we can do right now is pray for the victims and for those that were very badly hurt, it looks like. … We’ll inform you later as to what’s happening, but it’s a shame. Let’s just pray.”
Brown University, an Ivy League institution founded in 1764, is one of the most prestigious nonprofit research universities in the United States. Located in Providence, Rhode Island, the school enrolls over 11,000 students and employs more than 5,500 people, including nearly 900 regular faculty members. With an endowment of $8 billion, Brown is among the wealthiest institutions in the country.
The shooting at Brown University is part of a growing trend of violence on college campuses across the United States. A junior student who was inside the building during the incident described the chaos and fear that followed. He said he barricaded himself in the building, called 911, and waited nearly two hours before police arrived. “They brought us down into a basement office space with a few hundred people and have been sweeping the building getting groups of people as they call 911 and inform them of their location,” he explained. “We’re hearing pretty daunting numbers and people are all checking in on their friends.”
This incident follows other recent shootings on college campuses, including a deadly event at Kentucky State University on Tuesday, where one student was killed and another critically injured. Earlier this year, there were also reports of shootings at Utah Valley University and Florida State University, both of which resulted in multiple casualties.
These events have sparked renewed discussions about campus safety, mental health support, and the need for stronger gun control measures. As the investigation into the Brown University shooting continues, the university community remains in mourning, while the nation watches closely to see how such tragedies will be addressed in the future.