A gunman killed two people and critically wounded eight others Saturday afternoon at Brown University, authorities said, as students and staff were ordered to shelter in place while the suspect remained at large.
The shooting occurred at the Barus and Holley building, which houses the engineering and physics departments. Multiple exams had been scheduled in the building at the time. Law enforcement described the suspect as a man dressed entirely in black. No weapon had been recovered.
Providence Mayor Brett Smiley confirmed the casualties, saying the eight critically wounded are stable. Deputy Police Chief Timothy O’Hara urged the public to stay away from the area.
The FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives were assisting in the investigation. Local reports showed clothing and blood on campus sidewalks.
Katie Sun, a student nearby, told the Brown Daily Herald she ran to her dorm after hearing gunfire. “It was honestly quite terrifying. The shots seemed like they were coming from…where the classrooms are,” she said.
President Donald Trump said he had been briefed on the shooting and offered prayers for the victims.
Brown University, near Boston, has about 11,000 students. The attack is the latest in a series of school shootings in the U.S., amid ongoing political debates over gun access.