Emergency personnel gather on Waterman Street at Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island, the US on December 13, 2025 during the investigation of a shooting. Photo: AP

Multiple people were shot in an active shooting incident at Brown University in Providence, the US state of Rhode Island, on Saturday local time, according to Xinhua News Agency. Around 4:20 pm, students at the university received a text alert warning of a shooter on campus, instructing them to lock doors, silence phones and stay hidden until further notice.

The Brown University Emergency Information on 6:33 pm local time provided an update to the active shooting situation. According to the update, there are two confirmed deceased victims from the incident at the Barus & Holley engineering building.

There are eight additional victims in critical, but stable condition, they are being treated at Rhode Island Hospital, per early reports. According to Associated Press's report, the number of wounded has later updated to 9.

CNN reported that the US President Donald Trump said that he has been fully briefed on the Brown University situation. Trump said that "all we can do right now is pray for the victims and for those that were very badly hurt it looks like."

The governor of the Rhode Island Daniel J. McKee wrote on his Facebook that "We are actively monitoring the shooting at Brown University. Our teams at Rhode Island State Police and Rhode Island Emergency Management Agency are working closely with local law enforcement." 

According to BBC, the local police described the suspect as male dressed all in black, the police carried out a search of the Barus & Holley engineering building but did not find the suspect. And they have not identified the type of weapon was used in the attack.

In additional to the local police force, Federal law enforcement agencies, including the FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, said they are assisting local authorities as the investigation continues, per CNN. 

CNN also reported that students on campus were taking their final exams in the building where the shooting occurred in the afternoon, according to Brown University Provost Francis J. Doyle III.

A video surveillance footage released by police shows that the suspect is seen heading north away from the Barus and Holley building in Providence - where the shooting happened - up Hope Street, before turning east onto Waterman Street. In the video footage, the suspect appears to be dressed all in black and his face is not visible. A weapon is also not visible.

The Brown University on 11:06 pm updated a campus alert that law enforcement has established a perimeter around part of the campus and urged people within the area to continue sheltering in place. Police will escort individuals from non-residential buildings inside the perimeter to safe locations, while the shelter-in-place order remains in effect unless directed by officers.

Based on figures from the independent analysis website Gun Violence Archive, Saturday's shooting in Brown University takes the total number of mass shootings in the US to 389 for the year 2025.


Global Times