Authorities across New England are closing in on a suspect tied to the deadly Brown University shooting, while quietly examining whether the violence may stretch beyond Providence and into the Boston area.
Law enforcement sources say investigators have identified the suspected gunman and secured an arrest warrant. The suspect remains on the run.
Manhunt Expands Across State Lines
Police activity has intensified in Salem, New Hampshire, where officers located what they believe to be the suspect’s abandoned vehicle near a storage facility. Scanner traffic indicated officers were searching for a gray Nissan Sentra with Maine license plates.
That vehicle description also surfaced roughly 50 miles away in Brookline, Massachusetts, where a separate homicide is now under scrutiny.
MIT Slaying Raises Alarming Questions
In Brookline, MIT nuclear physicist Nuno F. Gomes Loureiro, 47, was found with gunshot wounds inside his apartment Monday night. He was pronounced dead the following morning.
Loureiro was widely respected in scientific circles, serving as director of MIT’s Plasma Science and Fusion Center and receiving a presidential research award from the White House earlier this year.
Authorities have not disclosed what weapon was used in his killing.
Investigators Acknowledge Information Sharing
Earlier this week, FBI Boston special agent in charge Ted Docks confirmed investigators were exchanging intelligence between the Brown and MIT cases, though no definitive connection had been established at that time.
Unverified reports from both Providence and Brookline referenced Nissan Sentras at or near the crime scenes, though with license plates from different states.
On Thursday, regional media reported that senior law enforcement officials believe evidence linking the two cases has been uncovered. Officials have not publicly explained what that evidence entails.
Deadly Attack Inside Brown Lecture Hall
The violence began Saturday afternoon at Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island.
Around 4 p.m., a masked gunman entered a lecture hall during a review session for ECON 0110, “Principles of Economics,” shouted something indistinct, and opened fire.
Two students were killed, Ella Cook of Alabama and Mukhammad Aziz Umurzokov of Virginia. Nine others were injured.
Investigators recovered 9mm shell casings from the scene.
Surveillance Footage and Security Scrutiny
A person of interest was captured on surveillance video minutes after the shooting in a neighborhood east of Brown’s campus. However, questions have mounted about campus security.
One headline circulating amid public outrage described the situation bluntly as ‘Sheer incompetence!’ while another discussion unfolded on ‘Outnumbered’ as critics questioned how such an attack could occur in an academic building.
Additional criticism focused on infrastructure, with attention drawn to an ‘OLDER’ Brown facility where the shooting occurred, reportedly lacking security cameras.
Victims and the Road Ahead
As of Thursday afternoon, six of the wounded students remained hospitalized. One was listed in critical but stable condition, while the others were stable.
Meanwhile, political pressure has intensified. Former President Donald Trump publicly urged authorities to capture the ‘ANIMAL’ responsible for the Brown University attack, while acknowledging that a motive has yet to be determined.
The investigation remains active, with authorities urging the public to remain vigilant as the search continues.
