The suspect involved in the deadly shooting at Brown University on December 13 has been found dead. Authorities confirmed that 48-year-old Claudio Neves Valente, a former student at the prestigious university, died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound in Salem, New Hampshire.
After days of public frustration over the lack of progress in the investigation, officials were led to Valente through a tip received on Reddit and the observations of a local custodian. The information allowed law enforcement to track his movements, ultimately locating him in a storage facility.
Valente, a Portuguese national, is also believed to be connected to the killing of Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) professor Nuno F.G. Loureiro, who was found dead in his home earlier that same week. Authorities noted that both men were part of the same academic program in Portugal.
The tragic shooting occurred in the Barus and Holley engineering building at Brown University, during a time when many students were preparing for their final exams. The gunman fired over 40 rounds from a 9 mm handgun, leaving two students dead and nine others injured. Of the injured, six remain in critical but stable condition, while others have been released from the hospital.
Following the incident, the city came together for a candlelight vigil at Lippitt Memorial Park to honor the victims. Community members and officials, including Providence Mayor Brett Smiley, stressed the importance of unity in the face of such violence.
Despite the tragic loss of life, the manhunt and investigation revealed just how difficult such cases can be, with law enforcement officials acknowledging the challenges they faced while piecing together the suspect’s movements. Authorities continue to investigate the “why” behind this tragic event, with no clear motive yet identified.
