Four days after a gunman killed two people and injured nine others in a Brown University lecture hall, investigators have released new video footage of a person they believe may be linked to the attack.
Authorities have yet to identify a suspect, leaving the campus and surrounding community on edge.
On Tuesday, police presented enhanced footage from CCTV and home security cameras showing an individual dressed in dark clothing, with a black mask and hat, walking near the university approximately two hours before the Saturday attack.
Providence Police Chief Oscar Perez stated the video appears to show the person “casing” the area before the crime. “That’s something criminals do,” he said during a news briefing. Investigators are asking the public to examine the footage—noting the individual’s gait, clothing, and a black bag seen in one image—and to review their own security cameras for any relevant recordings.
Officials confirmed the attacker was not captured on cameras inside the building, a lecture hall where students were reviewing for an exam. They have not commented on a possible motive or whether any victims were specifically targeted.
While appealing for public help, Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Neronha assured the community the investigation is “going well,” urging patience and confidence in the veteran detectives on the case.
In response to the ongoing threat, police have significantly increased their visible presence on the Ivy League campus and throughout Providence. Officials stress there is currently “no credible, actionable, specific threat,” but Mayor Brett Smiley acknowledged the heightened patrols are a precaution aimed at “making people feel safe.”
By James Kisoo
