Person of interest in custody after mass shooting leaves 2 dead, 9 injured at Brown University

A person of interest was apprehended by police overnight after a mass shooting at Brown University, in Providence, RI, left two dead and nine injured. Eight of those are still hospitalized, one is in critical condition. All of the victims were students.

The person of interest is not a student at Brown and was caught after a tip was delivered to law enforcement. While this person is not yet a suspect, police said they believe they are "on the right track," reports ABC News.

Providence Mayor Brett Smiley said of the surveillance footage "We know there is no clear shot of the face," but he also said that person is believed to be the shooter.

The FBI had shared grainy surveillance footage prior to the person of interest's apprehension. It showed a person in dark clothing and a dark head covering walking down Hope Street, near the engineering and physics building of Barus & Holley, where the shooting was carried out.

Providence police said that they do not have surveillance footage of the shooter from inside the building where the shooting was carried out. The FBI is asking the public to share videos that they may have of the incident.
 

Students were in a final exam review session for a Principles of Economics class when gunfire erupted. The session was just coming to a close and as the students got ready to leave, the gunfire began.

21-year-old teaching assistant Joseph Oduro was leading the study session on the building's first floor in a large capacity lecture hall. He said that at they were finishing up, "all of a sudden, we heard gunshots and people screaming." Then the gunman burst into the room.

Oduro said he had a face mask and a rifle and opened fire. The shooter screamed something which Oduro said was not clear. "That’s what the students and I — and the detectives — have been trying to piece together," he said. He and 20 other students hid behind a desk while those in the middle of the room were hardest hit, he said.

The University had a hard time getting their facts straight on Saturday, first sending a shelter-in-place order then errantly saying that a suspect was in custody and that there had been more gunfire.

The shooting was described as "devastating gun violence" by university president Christina H. Paxson. "Our hearts go out to them. This is a day of tremendous sorrow," she said said. "No parent or family member should ever have to endure a day like this."

The school was on lockdown until Sunday morning after a shelter-in-place order had been given as the shooting unfolded. As the investigation unfolded hundreds of officers searched campus and the surrounding area. 

"If anybody should recognize this person in any way — seen him earlier, recognize his gait — obviously, we want to know about that," said Providence Deputy Chief Timothy O'Hara after the video was released.