Investigation Hampered by Lack of Surveillance Cameras
Eyewitness Statement Obtained from Near the Suspect
Over 300 Mass Shootings in the U.S. This Year
Police have identified a suspect in the mass shooting that occurred at the prestigious Brown University, an Ivy League institution in the United States, on December 13 (local time), thanks to eyewitness testimony, CNN reported on December 18 (local time).
CNN, citing two sources familiar with the investigation who spoke on condition of anonymity, reported that investigators have obtained an arrest warrant for the suspect and are currently tracking his whereabouts. Authorities also stated that they have located and obtained a statement from a witness who was "in close proximity" to the perpetrator, as mentioned in a press briefing the previous day, and clarified that this individual is not a suspect.
The shooting occurred on December 13 in a classroom inside Barus and Holley Hall, an engineering building on the Brown University campus, while a teaching assistant for an introductory economics course was helping students review for their final exams. As a result, two students-Ella Cook, vice president of the campus Republican organization, and Muhammad Aziz Amurzhokov, an aspiring neurosurgeon from Uzbekistan-were killed, and nine others were injured and hospitalized. Three of the injured have since been discharged, while six remain in stable condition.
Authorities are reportedly having difficulty identifying the suspect due to a lack of clues, such as the absence of clear surveillance footage showing the perpetrator's face. Previously, on the day of the incident, authorities detained a male suspect but later released him after determining he was not involved in the case.
Peter Neronha, Attorney General of Rhode Island, explained that the building where the incident occurred is located on the edge of campus, and the specific location is in an older section of the building, which means there are "no cameras, or if there are, very few." University officials also noted that although there are 1,200 surveillance cameras on campus, this is insufficient to cover all 250 buildings.
According to the Gun Violence Archive (GVA), the number of "mass shooting incidents" (defined as incidents with four or more victims shot) in the United States this year has surpassed 300. Of these, at least 75 occurred on school campuses, resulting in at least 31 deaths and over 100 injuries.
Meanwhile, the Associated Press reported that authorities are investigating a possible connection between the mass shooting at Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island, and the murder of a Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) professor that took place two days later about 80 kilometers to the north.
Nuno Loureiro, 47, MIT professor and director of the Plasma Science and Fusion Center, was shot at his home in Brookline, Massachusetts, on the night of December 15 and died the following day at the hospital. However, investigators have not disclosed any concrete evidence linking the two incidents and clarified that no actual connection has been confirmed.
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