A shooting Saturday at Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island, left two people dead and at least eight other critically injured. Authorities were still searching for a suspect in the hours afterward.
The shooting occurred on a Saturday afternoon in a campus building with final exams underway. The suspect was dressed in black and left the building on foot, officials said.
The violence prompted a shelter-in-place order for the larger university area. Providence Mayor Brett Smiley expressed deep concern, stating, 'Today is a day that the city of Providence and the state of Rhode Island prayed would never come. We've witnessed horrific acts of gun violence and active shooter situations in other places, but not here.'
Brown University is a private institution with approximately 7,300 undergraduate and over 3,000 graduate students.
Authorities continue to investigate, searching for the suspect and ensuring the safety of the community. The incident has raised alarms about campus safety amidst a growing concern of gun violence in educational institutions.
