Brown University person of interest, with ties to Wisconsin, released as manhunt continues

Providence police have released the person originally detained in connection with an investigation into the deadly mass shooting on the Brown University campus over the weekend, with the Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Neronha, saying during a press briefing Sunday night “there is no basis” to consider the invidiual a person of interest.

“As Providence police continue to lead this investigation, they have informed Brown that they are continuing their search efforts, which includes ongoing coordination with multiple agencies,” a statement from the school read in part. “There continues to be a heightened amount of local, state and federal police activity in the area as law enforcement continues to investigate and patrol with increased vigilance. The Department of Public Safety has more than doubled its staffing.”

Multiple sources told NBC News the person of interest who was taken into custody was a 24-year-old with links to Wisconsin. Footage captured by WTMJ, the NBC affiliate in Milwaukee, showed FBI agents at a home in the nearby city of Cedarburg.

In a Facebook post, the city’s police department said the FBI was conducting interviews related to the shooting.

“Our department was made aware by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) of their presence in our city to conduct interviews related to the incident. Any information or inquiries should be directed to the Providence, Rhode Island Police Department at 401-272-3121,” the post read in part.

The Cedarburg School District also released a statement ahead of the release, saying the incident “alegedly” invovled a former Cedarburg student.

“Our hearts go out to the victims and their families of that community following this horrific and senseless act of violence, and we join the nation in grieving this incomprehensible loss,” the school said.

Providence police made the announcement about the release just after 11 p.m. Sunday.

“The investigation has been ongoing and remains fully active between all agencies,” police said in a post on X. “Since the first call to 911, we have not received any specific threats to our community.”

At 11:47 p.m., Brown University released a statement saying “we know the update may prompt numerous questions.”

“This remains an active police investigation, and the University must defer to the Providence Police Department to release information as they deem appropriate,” the school’s statement said. “The police department has established a designated tip line for this investigation. Any individual with information that may be relevant to law enforcement should call 401-652-5767.”

Earlier in the day, the school said it was canceling all remaining in-person exams for courses at the school, with the exception of Warren Alpert Medical School  and the IE Brown Executive MBA Program.

The release of the lone person of interest leaves law enforcement without any known suspect, with officials pledging to redouble efforts in the investigation by canvassing for video surveillance that could help pinpoint the killer’s identity.

“We have a murderer out there,” said Attorney General Peter Neronha, while Providence Mayor Brett Smiley acknowledged that ”the news is likely to cause fresh anxiety for our community.”

Despite an enhanced police presence at Brown, officials are not recommending another shelter-in-place order like the one that followed the Saturday afternoon shooting, when hundreds of officers searched for the shooter and urged students and staff to shelter in place. The lockdown, which stretched into the night, was lifted early Sunday, but authorities had not yet released information about a potential motive.

What we know about the Brown University shooting

The shooting occurred during one of the busiest moments of the academic calendar, as final exams were underway. Brown canceled all remaining classes, exams, papers and projects for the semester and told students they could leave campus, underscoring the scale of the disruption and the gravity of the attack.

As police scoured the area for the shooter, many students remained barricaded in rooms while others hid behind furniture and bookshelves. One video showed students in a library shaking and wincing as they heard loud bangs just before police entered the room to clear the building.

The gunman, dressed in black, opened fire inside a classroom in the engineering building, firing more than 40 rounds from a 9 mm handgun, a law enforcement official told AP. Two handguns were recovered when the person of interest was taken into custody and authorities also found two loaded 30-round magazines, the official said.

One of the firearms was equipped with a laser sight that projects a dot to aid in targeting, said the official, who was not authorized to discuss the investigation publicly and spoke to AP on the condition of anonymity.

Investigators were not immediately sure how the shooter got inside the first-floor classroom at the Barus & Holley building, a seven-story complex that houses the School of Engineering and physics department. The building includes more than 100 laboratories, dozens of classrooms and offices, according to the university’s website.

Engineering design exams were underway. Outer doors of the building were unlocked but rooms being used for final exams required badge access, Providence Mayor Brett Smiley.