A 'person of interest' who was detained in connection with a deadly shooting at Brown University in the US will be released shortly, local officials have said.
Providence Police Chief Col Oscar Perez stated there was not enough evidence to prosecute the detained individual, with Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Neronha adding that the evidence now points in a different direction.
The investigation remains ongoing as authorities seek additional video evidence that could assist in identifying the actual suspect, according to local mayoral statements.
Two individuals were killed while nine others suffered injuries after a gunman opened fire at the Ivy League institution in Providence, Rhode Island, on Saturday.
During a joint news conference on Sunday, Col Perez emphasized that investigators did not believe the detained individual matched the person depicted in the CCTV footage of the suspect released immediately following the attack. The BBC has opted to refrain from naming the individual who is now being released.
In the footage, the suspect was shown walking away from the scene clad in all black. Following the footage’s release, FBI director Kash Patel confirmed that the person of interest was detained at a Coventry hotel in the early hours of Sunday morning, acting upon leads from the Providence Police.
Col Perez confirmed that officers were not searching for additional suspects, collaborating with prosecutors to gather evidence.
At an earlier news conference, Mayor of Providence Brett Smiley reported that seven of the injured were in stable condition, with one critical and another discharged. The gunman initiated fire in a classroom at around 16:00 local time in the Holley engineering building on Brown’s campus.
The identities of the deceased and most injured victims have yet to be disclosed; however, Brown University President Christina Paxson announced on Saturday that all victims, deceased and injured alike, were students.
Reports indicate that one of the injured is Kendall Turner, an alum of the Durham Academy, a private school in North Carolina. The school’s head, Michael Ulku-Steiner, expressed prayers and support for Kendall and the Brown University community during this challenging time.
Brown University stated some campus areas remain restricted while police investigations continue, relocating approximately 2,000 students to safety overnight. President Paxson expressed deep gratitude for the community support shown during this distressing time, reiterating that the families of the two murdered students are receiving support.
Mayor Smiley announced that a shelter order for local residents was lifted on Sunday, and he was profoundly moved meeting the courage and hope of the victims and their families.
A vigil for the community is scheduled for evening on Sunday.
Speaking from the White House, President Donald Trump extended hopes for the swift recovery of the nine injured students and conveyed condolences to the families of the two deceased individuals.
This shooting incident contributes to an alarming 389 recorded mass shootings in the U.S. this year, as documented by the Gun Violence Archive, which defines mass shootings as events with four or more victims killed or injured, excluding the attacker.
