Summary (tl;dr)

A mass shooting occurred at Brown University's Barus and Holley Engineering Building on Saturday, December 13, 2025, resulting in two student fatalities and nine other students wounded, with the suspect still at large.

Essential Background

The incident unfolded on the second day of fall semester final exams at the Ivy League campus. Brown University officials initially reported that a suspect was in custody, but this statement was later retracted, and authorities confirmed an ongoing manhunt. Providence Mayor Brett Smiley indicated that the outer doors of the Barus & Holley building were unlocked during exam times, potentially allowing the shooter access.

The Full Story

On Saturday afternoon, a gunman dressed in black opened fire in the Barus and Holley Engineering building at Brown University, killing two students and injuring nine others around 4:00 p.m. ET. All ten individuals shot, including the two fatalities, were confirmed to be students, with one additional person sustaining non-life-threatening injuries from fragments. Following the shooting, the campus was placed under a shelter-in-place order, and a large-scale search operation involving local police, the FBI, and ATF was launched for the suspect, who fled the building onto Hope Street and was described as a male in dark clothing, possibly wearing a camouflage mask. Nine injured victims were transported to Rhode Island Hospital, with several in critical but stable condition. Reports of a second shooting on nearby Governor Street were later deemed unfounded by authorities.

Why It Matters

This event marks the first mass shooting to occur at an Ivy League university, raising significant concerns about campus safety and security at higher education institutions nationwide. The ongoing search for the suspect has kept the Providence community on high alert, with residents advised to remain indoors and law enforcement utilizing extensive resources to apprehend the individual responsible. The tragedy has disrupted academic life, leading to the cancellation of Sunday's final exams.

Geographic Location

• Barus and Holley Engineering Building, Brown University, Providence, Providence County, Rhode Island, United States (mass shooting incident)
• Hope Street, Providence, Providence County, Rhode Island, United States (suspect's escape route from the building)
• Waterman Street, Providence, Providence County, Rhode Island, United States (area where police and first responders gathered)
• Rhode Island Hospital, Providence, Providence County, Rhode Island, United States (injured victims transported and treated)
• Nelson Fitness Center, Brown University, Providence, Providence County, Rhode Island, United States (family reunification center)