Brown University Shooting Leaves Two Dead, Community in Shock

A shooting at Brown University on December 13, 2025, left two students dead and nine others injured during a final exam review session in the Barus and Holley engineering building. The incident occurred around 4 p.m. when a masked gunman entered the classroom, opened fire, and then fled the scene.

Providence Mayor Brett Smiley confirmed that the shooter remains at large, prompting a significant law enforcement response and a shelter-in-place order for the campus and surrounding areas. The identity of the victims has been confirmed, with one being Ella Cook, and seven of the injured in critical but stable condition as of the latest reports (NPR, Fox News).

Law enforcement initially detained a person of interest, but he was released after officials stated there was no basis to consider him a suspect (The Guardian). The community is grieving, with Brown University President Christina Paxson describing the situation as devastating.

In response to the shooting, all remaining exams and classes for the semester have been canceled (New York Times, NPR). The event has reignited discussions surrounding gun violence in the U.S., with various leaders calling for stronger gun control measures (The Guardian).