Tragic Mass Shooting at Brown University Linked to Ex-Student

Fri Dec 19 2025 14:14:32 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

A former Brown University student, Claudio Neves Valente, has been identified as the suspect in a mass shooting that left two students dead and nine others wounded.

Claudio Neves Valente, 48, suspected of a mass shooting at Brown University that killed two students, was later found dead from a self-inflicted gunshot in New Hampshire. Valente, a former physics graduate student, is also accused of murdering MIT professor Nuno Loureiro. The motive remains unclear as the investigation continues. The victims, 19-year-old Ella Cook and 18-year-old MukhammadAziz Umurzokov, were preparing for exams when the shooting took place, stirring campus-wide shock and prompting questions about security measures.

A frantic search for the suspect in last weekend’s mass shooting at Brown University ended at a New Hampshire storage facility where authorities discovered the man dead inside. Claudio Neves Valente, 48, a former Brown student and Portuguese national, was found dead Thursday night from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, according to Providence police chief Col. Oscar Perez. Investigators believe he is responsible for fatally shooting two students and wounding nine others in a lecture hall at Brown the previous weekend. He is also suspected of killing Massachusetts Institute of Technology professor Nuno F.G. Loureiro just two days later.

Brown University President Christina Paxson confirmed Valente's enrollment as a graduate student studying physics from fall 2000 to spring 2001, stating, “He has no current affiliation with the university.” It was revealed that both Valente and Loureiro had previously attended the same academic program at a university in Portugal between 1995 and 2000. Loureiro had been notable in his field, recently appointed to lead MIT’s Plasma Science and Fusion Center.

Neves Valente had come to the United States on a student visa but obtained legal permanent resident status in September 2017. It remains unclear where he resided between his leave of absence from Brown in 2001 and obtaining the visa.

After the identity of the suspect was made public, President Donald Trump suspended the green card lottery program that enabled Neves Valente to stay in the U.S. There are still many questions regarding Valente's motive; Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Neronha said, “We don’t know why now, why Brown, why these students and why this classroom.”

Investigative Breakthrough

An important tip from a witness, referred to as “John,” helped lead investigators to Valente. After noticing Valente’s suspicious behavior near the crime scene, John posted his suspicions on social media, prompting others to urge him to notify the FBI. This led investigators to track Valente’s vehicle using street cameras.

Police retrieved footage showing Valente entering an apartment building near Loureiro’s home in Boston and later entering the New Hampshire storage facility where he was found dead. He was discovered with firearms and a satchel.

Victims of the Shooting

The victims of the Brown University shooting include two students, 19-year-old Ella Cook, who had been active in her church and served as vice president of the Brown College Republicans, and 18-year-old MukhammadAziz Umurzokov, who aspired to be a doctor after emigrating from Uzbekistan. Three of the injured had been discharged while six remained stable as of Thursday.

This tragic incident raises critical concerns about campus security and the support systems in place for students, particularly those experiencing challenges that may go unseen.