In the uneasy days following a deadly shooting on Brown University’s campus, a quieter, more puzzling development began to draw attention online: the sudden disappearance of university webpages connected to Mustapha Kharbouch, a student activist whose name was never mentioned by police but quickly swept into a storm of speculation. As investigators stressed that no suspect or person of interest had been identified, screenshots of archived pages and old writings began circulating anyway, creating a parallel narrative that unfolded largely outside official channels.
Before those pages vanished, Kharbouch was listed across several Brown-affiliated sites as a first-year student involved in campus life. Archived records show him serving as a student assistant and as a Cultural Programming Coordinator linked to the Global Brown Center. His academic interests, according to those same pages, centered on International and Public Affairs and Anthropology, with a particular focus on Middle East–related academic and cultural programming. Today, those profiles are no longer publicly accessible, and his social media accounts have been deactivated as well.
The timing of the removals raised eyebrows. University officials have offered no public explanation, leaving room for interpretation as online speculation intensified. Social media users shared before-and-after comparisons of the webpages, reading meaning into what Brown has not clarified. Media analysts and campus observers have suggested the move may have been precautionary — a way to limit doxxing, harassment, or the misuse of biographical information during a volatile moment — a step institutions have taken in other high-profile cases when misinformation spreads faster than facts.
Fueling the online conjecture was the resurfacing of a 2024 essay Kharbouch authored for the Institute for Palestine Studies. Published months before the shooting as part of a student essay series tied to the Brown Gaza Solidarity Encampment, the piece is reflective and deeply personal. Titled “I Hear the Voice of My Ancestors Calling: From the Camps to the Campus,” it explores Palestinian identity, intergenerational memory, and student activism through a mix of autobiography and academic analysis. The writing draws on decolonial thought, feminist theory, and family history, including reflections on the 1948 Nakba and the experience of being a third-generation stateless Palestinian refugee raised in Lebanon.
The essay also documents Kharbouch’s participation in campus protests — sit-ins, rallies, hunger strikes, and the encampment itself — and incorporates poetic excerpts adapted from “Ancestors Song,” a chant heard during student-led Palestine solidarity actions at Brown. What it does not include is any reference to violence on campus or any suggestion of criminal intent. The Institute for Palestine Studies has not indicated that the essay is under review or connected in any way to the shooting.
Another detail that circulated widely online involved a product review left on a tactical gear website. A verified buyer identified as “Mustapha K.” reviewed a 9mm muzzle brake in late December 2024, the same caliber used in the Brown shooting. Online commentators seized on the coincidence, noting how few people might share that first name and last initial. Law enforcement, however, has made clear that such overlaps do not constitute evidence. Investigators have repeatedly stated that there is no verified link between Kharbouch and the shooting.
Authorities, including the FBI and Providence Police, have been explicit: no suspects have been named, no persons of interest identified, and no arrests announced. The investigation remains active, guided by confirmed evidence rather than online theories. Officials have also warned that speculation can harm individuals who are not implicated and can complicate an already complex inquiry.
For now, the absence of answers has left a vacuum easily filled by conjecture. Brown University has not said whether the removed pages will return or whether the decision was temporary, administrative, or safety-related. What remains clear is that, as of the latest updates, Mustapha Kharbouch has not been identified by authorities as having any role in the shooting, and investigators continue to urge the public to rely on verified information and to share credible tips directly with law enforcement.
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