Suspect in Brown University and MIT Killings Found Dead, Ending Multistate Manhunt
The suspect wanted in connection with a mass shooting at Brown University and the killing of an MIT professor was found dead Thursday evening in a Salem, New Hampshire storage unit, authorities confirmed. The discovery ends an intense, days-long multistate search that had gripped the nation.
The suspect was identified as Claudio Neves Valente, 48, a Portuguese national and former graduate student at Brown University. Providence Police Chief Col. Oscar Perez stated Valente appears to have died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Linking Two Academic Tragedies
Authorities believe Valente is responsible for two separate violent incidents:
The Brown University Shooting: On Saturday, a gunman entered the Barus & Holley building in Providence, Rhode Island, and opened fire in a lecture hall. Two students were killed and nine others wounded. The victims were identified as Ella Cook, 19, a sophomore, and MukhammadAziz Umurzokov, 18, an international first-year student. Several injured remain hospitalized.
The Killing of an MIT Professor: On Tuesday, MIT professor Nuno F.G. Loureiro, 47, was found shot multiple times in his Brookline, Massachusetts home. Loureiro, a renowned physicist and director of MIT’s Plasma Science and Fusion Center, later died from his injuries.
While a definitive motive is not yet public, investigators confirm the cases are connected. Both Valente and Professor Loureiro attended the same academic program in Portugal in the late 1990s. Valente had studied physics at Brown from 2000-2001 but had no current affiliation with either institution.
The Manhunt and Breakthrough
Following the Brown shooting, a massive search involving local police and the FBI ensued. A critical break came when a witness, after seeing security footage circulated by police, identified Valente’s rental car via a Reddit post. This tip allowed investigators to track his movements.
Valente had attempted to evade capture by covering his rental car’s license plate with one from Maine. However, surveillance systems tracked him to a storage unit in Salem, NH, where his body was discovered alongside a satchel and two firearms.
Community Impact and Ongoing Investigation
The attacks have devastated the Brown and MIT academic communities. Brown University canceled in-person exams and held vigils for the victims. Officials stress that with the suspect deceased, there is no ongoing threat to public safety.
Providence Mayor Brett Smiley acknowledged the community’s “restless and eager” wait for closure during the manhunt.
While the suspect’s death concludes the active search, the investigation continues. Authorities are still working to determine a clear motive for the attacks and are conducting forensic analysis and interviews. They have asked the public for patience as they piece together Valente’s background and the full sequence of events.
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The conclusion of the manhunt brings a measure of relief but leaves behind grieving university communities and unanswered questions about the roots of this tragedy.
