Brown university shooting suspect found dead in New Hampshire

A man suspected of carrying out a deadly mass shooting at Brown University has been found dead in New Hampshire, bringing a grim close to a case that has shaken two of the United States’ most prestigious academic institutions.

Providence police on December 18 night identified the suspect as Claudio Neves Valente, 48, a former Brown University student and a Portuguese national. He was found inside a storage facility with a self-inflicted gunshot wound, police said.

“He took his own life tonight,” Providence Police Chief Oscar Perez told reporters, adding that investigators believe Valente acted alone, according to the Associated Press.

What happened at Brown University

The shooting unfolded last Saturday inside an academic building on Brown University’s campus, leaving two people dead and nine others injured. The attack triggered an immediate lockdown and a multi-agency manhunt, as authorities struggled to piece together how the gunman entered and exited the building without being clearly captured on campus surveillance cameras.

Investigators believe the shooter may have used a door facing a residential street, a detail that could explain the lack of clear footage.

Possible link to MIT professor’s killing

The investigation widened after authorities began examining a potential connection between the Brown University shooting and the killing of MIT professor Nuno F G Loureiro, who was found dead in his home in Brookline, Massachusetts, on Monday.

A law enforcement official told AP that investigators believe Valente may also be responsible for Loureiro’s death, though officials stressed that the link has not been formally confirmed. The FBI earlier said it was not aware of any connection between the two cases.

The official spoke on condition of anonymity because the investigation remains ongoing.

Who was Claudio Neves Valente

Brown University President Christina Paxson said Valente was enrolled at the university from autumn 2000 to spring 2001, having been admitted to the graduate school to study physics.

“He has no current affiliation with the university,” Paxson said.

Officials said Valente was a Portuguese citizen, with his last known address in Miami, Florida.

How police identified the suspect

Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Neronha said the breakthrough came after a person who had been near the suspect contacted authorities following a police briefing on Wednesday.

“When you crack it, you crack it. That person led us to the car, led us to the name,” Neronha said.

Investigators also revealed that Valente had placed a Maine licence plate over a Florida plate in an apparent attempt to evade identification.

Motive still unclear

Despite identifying the suspect, authorities said they are still struggling to understand why the attack occurred.

“We don’t know why now, why Brown, why these students and why this classroom,” Neronha said.

MIT mourns Professor Nuno Loureiro

Loureiro joined MIT in 2016 and led its Plasma Science and Fusion Center, one of the university’s largest research laboratories. A professor of physics and nuclear science and engineering, he was widely respected as a scientist and mentor.

“He shone a bright light as a mentor, friend, teacher, colleague and leader,” Dennis Whyte, a former head of the centre, told an MIT publication, according to AP.

Loureiro had often spoken of the transformative potential of his work. “Fusion energy will change the course of human history,” he once said.

Authorities said investigations into both the Brown University shooting and the killing of the MIT professor are continuing.