Providence, R.I. — A quiet Saturday afternoon at Brown University turned into a nightmare on December 13, 2025, when a gunman opened fire inside a classroom in the Barus & Holley Engineering Building, killing two students and wounding nine others amid final exams. The suspect remains at large as authorities wage a massive manhunt through the streets of Providence.
Just after 4 p.m., students and faculty received an urgent Brown University alert about an active shooter near the Barus & Holley complex, where multiple exams were underway. In the chaotic moments that followed, terrified students locked doors, silenced their phones, and hid wherever they could. The official alert told them to “evacuate only if safe, hide if not,” and set off a wave of fear across campus and neighboring streets.
Providence Police later confirmed that the shooting occurred inside a first-floor classroom. Two victims were pronounced dead at the scene, and nine others were taken to Rhode Island Hospital — several in critical condition, others stable but wounded. One additional individual suffered non-life-threatening injuries from bullet fragments and is expected to recover. Authorities have emphasized that most, if not all, of the victims were Brown students, deepening the tragedy’s impact on the close-knit university community.
Investigators believe the suspect fled immediately after the attack, exiting onto Hope Street and moving toward the Waterman Street area. Police described the individual as a male possibly in his 30s, dressed in dark clothing, and possibly wearing a camouflage-style face covering — though officials caution that detail has not been fully confirmed. No weapon has been recovered, and it remains unclear how the shooter entered the building or where he is now.
In the hours after the shooting, law enforcement presence surged across the area. More than 400 officers from local, state, and federal agencies, including the FBI and ATF, combed the campus and surrounding neighborhoods. A shelter-in-place order remained in effect late into Saturday night, and students were guided to safe zones and reunification centers amid ongoing uncertainty.
The situation was further complicated by initial confusion. At one point, reports circulated — including from national figures — suggesting a suspect was in custody. Brown University and police later corrected those statements, reaffirming that no arrests had been made and the shooter was still wanted.
Providence Mayor Brett Smiley, Brown University President Christina Paxson, and state officials expressed profound sorrow and vowed to pursue justice. In a community already in lockdown, their message was clear: bring the perpetrator to account and support the victims’ families. Meanwhile, students and campus residents remain shaken, struggling to make sense of a Saturday that should have been filled with exams and holiday anticipation.
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