More bloodshed on an American university campus. Yesterday afternoon, a shooting struck Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island, one of the most prestigious Ivy League institutions.
The official toll stands at two students dead and at least nine injured, eight of whom are in critical condition. Some U.S. media outlets report a higher number of victims.
The attack occurred near the Barus & Holley building, which houses the School of Engineering and the Department of Physics. The area was crowded at the time: it was the second day of final exams for the fall semester, with many students and faculty in the laboratories and classrooms. The first shots were heard in mid-afternoon.
The university immediately activated emergency protocol and locked down the campus. Students and staff were ordered to remain inside buildings, lock doors, and remain hidden. An initial statement announced the arrest of a suspect, a claim later denied by authorities: the person arrested was not involved in the shooting.
The alleged perpetrator is still on the run. Investigators believe he was a man dressed in black and are analyzing surveillance footage from the campus and surrounding streets to determine his identity. Law enforcement has also urged residents in the surrounding areas to stay indoors and exercise extreme caution, fearing the suspect is still armed.
(Unioneonline)