Authorities confirmed that the suspect in last week’s Brown University mass shooting died in a storage facility in Salem, New Hampshire, ending a six-day multi-state search.
Police identified the suspect as Claudio Neves Valente, 48, a Portuguese national who studied at Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island, about 25 years ago. Providence Police Chief Oscar Perez said investigators traced Valente through CCTV footage and public tips, ultimately linking him to a car rental.
Suspect Linked to MIT Shooting
Officials say Valente also shot and killed an MIT professor two days after the Brown University attack. Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Neronha said police found a satchel and two firearms with the suspect, and a vehicle nearby contained evidence linking him to the Brown University crime scene. Early reports indicate Valente died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, though investigators could not confirm how long he had been inside the storage unit.
“Even though the suspect is dead, many questions remain,” said FBI Special Agent-in-Charge Ted Docks. Nearly 500 FBI agents joined local authorities in the investigation.
University Background
Valente attended Brown University from 2000 to 2001, pursuing a PhD in physics, but had no current affiliation with the university, Brown University President Christina Paxson said.
Authorities reported that Valente shot and killed MIT professor Nuno F. Gomes Loureiro, 47, at his home in Brookline, Massachusetts, about 50 miles from Providence. Both men studied together at a Portuguese university in the late 1990s. Investigators linked the same vehicle to both shootings using CCTV footage and witness accounts.
“He used technology to hide his tracks and avoid detection,” said Massachusetts State Attorney Leah B. Foley. Authorities have not revealed a motive for either attack.
The Brown University Shooting
The Brown University shooting occurred in the Barus & Holley engineering building during final exams. Two students died: Ella Cook, 19, a sophomore from Alabama, and Mukhammad Aziz Umurzokov, 18, a freshman from Uzbekistan. Nine others suffered injuries, and six remain hospitalized.
Authorities faced public criticism for slow progress in the investigation. They released new CCTV footage showing a masked man on campus. The FBI offered a $50,000 reward for information leading to the suspect’s capture.
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