Providence police have officially issued an arrest warrant for the suspect involved in the tragic mass shooting at Brown University that left two students dead and nine others injured, according to sources familiar with the ongoing investigation.
Massive Manhunt Underway in New Hampshire
A significant law enforcement presence has been deployed in Salem, New Hampshire, as seen in aerial footage from NBC Boston. Officers are actively searching for the individual and a rental vehicle believed to have been used by the suspect in the campus attack. The search, now in its sixth day, involves officers knocking on doors, requesting home-security footage, and urging the public for any information that could lead to the gunman's capture.
Authorities have not yet publicly named the person they are seeking. Video from the scene in Salem showed some law enforcement members with their weapons drawn and aimed toward a building. Social media reports indicate the officers are focused on an area near a storage facility where the suspected shooter's abandoned car was reportedly found.
Investigating a Chilling Connection to MIT Professor's Killing
In a disturbing new development, investigators are examining a potential link between the Brown University shooting and the fatal shooting of a Massachusetts Institute of Technology professor just two days later. Authorities told sources that they are probing connections to the death of Nuno F Gomes Loureiro, 47, a nuclear science and engineering professor from Portugal.
Loureiro was shot "multiple times" on Monday at his home in Brookline, Massachusetts, approximately 80 kilometres from Providence, Rhode Island. Sources revealed that a rental car matching the same description was seen at both crime scenes. This potential connection marks a shift, as federal authorities had previously stated there was no link between the two murders.
A news conference scheduled for Thursday afternoon by Providence police was abruptly cancelled, though officials indicated an update would be provided later in the day.
Frustration Mounts as Killer Remains at Large
Providence Police Chief Oscar Perez has admitted the challenges in the case, stating the killer "could be anywhere" and that "we don't know where the person is or who he is." A day earlier, police released footage of a person of interest in a black mask walking around the university campus, possibly surveilling or "casing" the area before the attack.
On Wednesday, investigators also released a photo of another individual believed to have been in close proximity to their primary person of interest. Chief Perez stated they wanted to speak with this person, who "may have information relevant to the investigation."
The slow progress of the investigation has led to public frustration. In response, Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Neronha expressed confidence, saying he believed the killer would be caught and "it is just a matter of time before we catch him." To aid the investigation, the FBI has announced a substantial reward of $50,000 (approximately £37,350) for information leading to the identification, arrest, and conviction of the person responsible.
The shooting occurred at Brown University's Barus & Holley engineering building during final exams. The victims have been identified as Ella Cook, a sophomore from Alabama, and Mukhammad Aziz Umurzokov, an Uzbek-American freshman.
