RI - Mass Shooting at Brown University - Providence 13 Dec 2025

[Curiousobserver]

He hung around on side streets with just home security cameras to capture him. He fled the same way. He picked a part of the building with very few university cameras, which also complicates things.

I'm confident he's the right guy, as they would have had witnesses look at that those images and verify it was the same person.

I was joking about him not being the right guy…For sure the witnesses have looked at the video. There should be just as much video of him leaving as there is of him sightseeing beforehand. There is no reason for police to hold that back now.

 

[MassGuy]

I was joking about him not being the right guy…For sure the witnesses have looked at the video. There should be just as much video of him leaving as there is of him sightseeing beforehand. There is no reason for police to hold that back now.

There’s no way they’re holding back better video. I assume what they do have is less helpful than what they have shared, which isn’t particularly helpful to begin with.

 

[citizen_sleuth]

The NYT is reporting that authorities have obtained DNA evidence and fingerprints from shell casings at the scene.

Search for Suspect in Brown University Shooting Stretches to 4th Day

Officials said that they were working with physical evidence, including DNA, and that they were seeking a second man who appeared to have crossed paths with the possible suspect’.

www.nytimes.com

 

[Dotta]

"Student describes barricading doors of library next door to shooting.​

Joseph McGonagle,
a friend of victim MukhammadAziz Umurzokov,
shared images of the barricades students put up while sheltering in the library.

McGonagle said
he was studying math
when he saw on an internal university social media app
that there was an active shooter at a building nearby.

He said he saw people running out of the building from the window.

'That’s when we started barricading up the 12th floor of the science library',
he said.

After he and other students finished stacking the furniture,
they got the first email from the school about the shooter on campus.

They weren’t able to leave the library floor for five hours,
he said."

https://www.cnn.com/us/live-news/brown-university-shooting-suspect-12-17-25

 

[LAborn]

Today's press conference: Brown University official said there are 1200 cameras throughout the campus, they don't publish the locations of those cameras as it would give a map to bad actors. He went on to say "there are cameras in the building" in question as well, with different levels of technology.

Think it's super irresponsible for them to publish a photo of someone else who is NOT a POI. The public is already confused and they didn't help matters.

Also, professionals during press conferences repeat the question being asked before answering it, not sure why this lot hasn't gotten the memo after 5 days.

 

[knla]

Maybe there was a target and that person wasn't there. He left because he realized who he was after wasn't in the class? He didn't go out with a bang because he didn't accomplish his task?

OR He quit shooting because there was some issue with his gun. maybe out of bullets or jammed? If he intended to kill himself after, maybe he couldn't due to either of those things?

He needed some bullets in case he needed to shoot someone to escape.

 

[MassGuy]

The NYT is reporting that authorities have obtained DNA evidence and fingerprints from shell casings at the scene.

Search for Suspect in Brown University Shooting Stretches to 4th Day

Officials said that they were working with physical evidence, including DNA, and that they were seeking a second man who appeared to have crossed paths with the possible suspect’.

www.nytimes.com

Super encouraging. I'm more optimistic with the DNA evidence than the fingerprint evidence, as you're almost certainly talking about a partial print with a round that small.

 

[justtrish]

Today's press conference: Brown University official said there are 1200 cameras throughout the campus, they don't publish the locations of those cameras as it would give a map to bad actors. He went on to say "there are cameras in the building" in question as well, with different levels of technology.

Thinks it's super irresponsible for them to publish a photo of someone else who is NOT a POI. The public is already confused and they didn't help matters.

Also, professionals during press conferences repeat the question being asked before answering it, not sure why this lot hasn't gotten the memo after 5 days.

I have plenty of criticism about the way they have done things, but I also realize most of them likely have never encountered a situation like this before.

As for releasing photos of someone not a POI, I think they gave ample time for this person to call police. I think LE knows this person had an interaction with the POI and in a way that the person would know they talked to the POI or had a close encounter with him and they haven't called in a tip yet or to say I was him, I passed him, he ran from me or I saw him running, etc. It seems whatever interaction they have that they are not releasing is enough to say this person would know they talked to or interacted with the suspect and if you aren't telling LE that, then they might assume you are involved. Releasing the photos gives them another chance to come forward if they are not involved. Just my opinion, but I do think LE has a lot more they haven't said and while the videos likely aren't clear to show WHO they are, they know this person and the suspect had an encounter.

 

[LAborn]

I have plenty of criticism about the way they have done things, but I also realize most of them likely have never encountered a situation like this before.

As for releasing photos of someone not a POI, I think they gave ample time for this person to call police. I think LE knows this person had an interaction with the POI and in a way that the person would know they talked to the POI or had a close encounter with him and they haven't called in a tip yet or to say I was him, I passed him, he ran from me or I saw him running, etc. It seems whatever interaction they have that they are not releasing is enough to say this person would know they talked to or interacted with the suspect and if you aren't telling LE that, then they might assume you are involved. Releasing the photos gives them another chance to come forward if they are not involved. Just my opinion, but I do think LE has a lot more they haven't said and while the videos likely aren't clear to show WHO they are, they know this person and the suspect had an encounter.

I try to place myself in situations and think, "What would I do?" Even if I saw this guy who later showed up in photos, unless there was something noteworthy, I doubt I would contact LE either. How often do people encounter someone on the street and nod or say hello out of common courtesy? They have already accused an innocent person, their face and life accomplishments spread all over the internet. Why would anyone go to them if they have nothing of substance? I don't think LE has anything and why they are beating the bushes hoping someone from the public will come forward with an ID.

 

[Mauig’ma]

I have plenty of criticism about the way they have done things, but I also realize most of them likely have never encountered a situation like this before.

As for releasing photos of someone not a POI, I think they gave ample time for this person to call police. I think LE knows this person had an interaction with the POI and in a way that the person would know they talked to the POI or had a close encounter with him and they haven't called in a tip yet or to say I was him, I passed him, he ran from me or I saw him running, etc. It seems whatever interaction they have that they are not releasing is enough to say this person would know they talked to or interacted with the suspect and if you aren't telling LE that, then they might assume you are involved. Releasing the photos gives them another chance to come forward if they are not involved. Just my opinion, but I do think LE has a lot more they haven't said and while the videos likely aren't clear to show WHO they are, they know this person and the suspect had an encounter.

I agree with everything you said

 

[keek]

I try to place myself in situations and think, "What would I do?" Even if I saw this guy who later showed up in photos, unless there was something noteworthy, I doubt I would contact LE either. How often do people encounter someone on the street and nod or say hello out of common courtesy? They have already accused an innocent person, their face and life accomplishments spread all over the internet. Why would anyone go to them if they have nothing of substance? I don't think LE has anything and why they are beating the bushes hoping someone from the public will come forward with an ID.

Just my being on this site shows you... I so would. IMO

 

[phi1ip]

When is the last time a mass murderer just faded away into to background at all.
I don’t ever remember that happening. Usually they are killed or arrested on the spot., no matter whether they are terrorists or mentally ill, or whatever reason they did it.
It’s just all weird.

The Lane Bryant shooting in 2008. Shooter killed 5 people in a Lane Bryant in a shopping complex. Still unsolved to this day

 

[TIGER0822]

To be honest his behavior is so out of the ordinary I am starting to wonder if he is even the right guy. Where is all the video of him leaving the scene?

Allegedly the FBI could not find a video of him leaving. Makes me wonder how well the building was searched.

 

[acutename]

Could it be targeted, but the person was trying to catch the target going in? Or all the loitering was to see if they actually attended the study session. Maybe looking for a car parked in the area?

IMO, if you wanted to target one particular individual, shooting in a big lecture hall with numerous witnesses/victims would not be an ideal method

 

[m00c0w]

Allegedly the FBI could not find a video of him leaving. Makes me wonder how well the building was searched.

The FBI released video of him leaving the scene, complete with circles around him and everything.

 

[Dotta]

I try to place myself in situations and think, "What would I do?" Even if I saw this guy who later showed up in photos, unless there was something noteworthy, I doubt I would contact LE either. How often do people encounter someone on the street and nod or say hello out of common courtesy? They have already accused an innocent person, their face and life accomplishments spread all over the internet. Why would anyone go to them if they have nothing of substance? I don't think LE has anything and why they are beating the bushes hoping someone from the public will come forward with an ID.

Besides, let's be honest,
people are afraid of being dragged to potential trial as witnesses.
Some might be scared of publicizing their names and Media accosting them and their photos being splashed in tabloids.
There are people who even might be worried about revenge of some kind,
(in a paranoid fashion), etc,etc.

People usually want peace & quiet,
not getting involved in criminal problems.

That is why some witnesses can tip LE through anonymous channels, no?

JMO

 

[Mauig’ma]

I try to place myself in situations and think, "What would I do?" Even if I saw this guy who later showed up in photos, unless there was something noteworthy, I doubt I would contact LE either. How often do people encounter someone on the street and nod or say hello out of common courtesy? They have already accused an innocent person, their face and life accomplishments spread all over the internet. Why would anyone go to them if they have nothing of substance? I don't think LE has anything and why they are beating the bushes hoping someone from the public will come forward with an ID.

The problem is you can think what you might do. But until it happens to you you can’t say for sure imo

 

[acutename]

It could be. I get hung up on the timing of it all - the shooting took place almost exactly at 4, which is the end of the second finals session of the day. It almost seems like the tracking around the university was the POI looking for someone or something, and that the attack was done at the last minute the finals were scheduled to occur. Of course this is all blatant speculation - but could he have been looking for someone in particular with the intent of shooting them on the street, not spotted them, and then gone to where they were supposed to be as "plan B" even though there would be witnesses and possibly other causalities? It just seems so strange he waited for hours until 4 and then went into the building at the very end of the exam period.

maybe some one picked him up in a vehicle afterward and he needed to wait or them to arrive before he could proceed?

 

[Dotta]

The problem is you can think what you might do. But until it happens to you you can’t say for sure imo

So true!

"We know ourselves only as much
as we've been tested".

(The quote comes from Polish W. Szymborska's poem)

 

[kanns66]

IMO, if you wanted to target one particular individual, shooting in a big lecture hall with numerous witnesses/victims would not be an ideal method

Definitely not ideal, but it happens. We had the 2023 Cooks Corner shooting right up the street from me in Trabuco Canyon, CA. Guy was after his wife and shot 8 other people.

I don’t really know which way I’m leaning in terms of it being targeted or completely random in this case, but I really don’t feel like it was due to a political statement, desire for fame, or terrorism. The perps in it for notoriety or to further political/religious aims don’t turn around and fade into the background. They want to be known and/or they want to make it clear why they did it. Otherwise, what’s the point of doing it in the first place?