Mass Shootings at Brown University and MIT Linked to Same Suspect
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Claudio Manuel Neves Valente, the suspect in the mass shootings at Brown University and MIT, was found dead of a self-inflicted gunshot wound on December 18, 2025, in a New Hampshire storage facility. Valente, a former physics graduate student at Brown, fatally shot two students during an economics study session at Brown on December 13, wounding nine others.
Two days later, he killed MIT professor Nuno Loureiro at his Brookline home. Authorities believe Valente acted alone and are still investigating the motive. Valente's actions have raised discussions on campus safety, gun violence, and mental health.
According to CBS News, Valente was seen on surveillance footage in the area of Brown University leading up to the shooting, including multiple visits to the Barus & Holley building. The day of the Brown shooting, he was spotted several times nearby before entering the building around 4 p.m.
Witnesses described him wearing a mask and dressed inappropriately for the weather. In the aftermath, Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Neronha stated that a key witness, referred to as 'John,' encountered Valente shortly before the shooting, leading to the identification and tracing of Valente through surveillance footage.
Following the Brown shooting, Valente returned to Massachusetts, where he shot Loureiro. Investigators traced Valente's movements through surveillance footage, revealing he rented a Nissan Sentra and was using methods to evade capture, including switching license plates and using an international SIM card.
His connection to Loureiro was confirmed as they both attended the same university in Portugal but details about their relationship remain unclear. The shootings have prompted renewed calls for discussions around gun control and mental health support in educational institutions.
The tragic events at both campuses highlight the urgent need for enhanced safety measures on college campuses and community safety at large. The nature of Valente's behavior, leading to these incidents, continues to raise questions regarding the mental health of individuals within academic settings.
According to The Washington Post, investigators believe Valente was sophisticated in hiding his tracks, using credit cards not issued in his name and a phone that obfuscated his location.