Man detained in Brown University shooting to be released
U.S. authorities say a man detained as a person of interest in the deadly Brown University mass shooting will be released from custody, as investigators shift their focus in the case.
The shooting, which took place during exam season at the Ivy League university in Providence, Rhode Island, left two students dead and nine others injured, officials said, News.Az reports, citing Reuters.
Providence Police initially detained a man in his 20s on Saturday following the attack. However, after further review, officials announced late Sunday that investigators found no basis to continue holding him.
“The investigation is moving in a different direction,” Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Neronha said, adding that the individual no longer fits the criteria of a person of interest.
Authorities now believe an unidentified individual captured in surveillance footage is the suspect they are still seeking. The FBI said geolocation data helped track the initially detained man to a hotel in nearby Coventry, but that lead has since been ruled out.
Despite the shooter remaining at large, officials confirmed that shelter-in-place orders have been lifted, and exams and classes for the rest of the year have been canceled.
The attack occurred inside the Barus & Holley engineering and physics building, where doors were unlocked at the time. Several victims remain hospitalized, though most are reported to be in stable condition.
University President Christina Paxson called the shooting “a day one hopes never happens,” as students and residents gathered for community events aimed at healing.
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