On Saturday, following a mass shooting at Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island, the campus went on immediate lockdown. Students were told to lock doors, stay quiet, and wait for instructions. Police and emergency responders rushed to the scene.
Officials confirmed that two people were killed. At least eight others were critically injured. The shooting happened near the Barus & Holley Engineering building. The seven-story building houses the School of Engineering and the physics department. It has more than 100 labs and many classrooms. At the time, students were taking final exams.
President Donald Trump quickly spoke out. He asked people to pray for the victims and their families. In a post on Truth Social, he first said the suspect was in custody. Authorities later corrected this. No one had been arrested. Trump updated his message to reflect the new information.
Later, walking across the White House lawn, Trump spoke to reporters. “We’ve been fully briefed on the Brown University situation,” he said. “It’s a terrible thing. All we can do is pray for the victims and those who were badly hurt.”
🚨 BREAKING — PRESIDENT TRUMP ON BROWN UNIVERSITY SHOOTING: “What a terrible thing it is.”
“All we can do right now is PRAY for the victims and for those who were very badly hurt.”
“It’s a shame. It’s a shame.” 🙏🏻 pic.twitter.com/jkCRT4cRPZ
— Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) December 14, 2025
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Vice President JD Vance also commented on social media. He said the FBI was ready to help. He asked everyone to keep the victims in their thoughts and prayers.
Brown University first sent an alert at 4:22 p.m. Students and staff were told to “run, hide, and fight.” Shots were also reported several blocks away on Governor Street. Students were instructed to stay in place until police could secure the area.
There was early confusion. Some reports said a suspect had been detained. Police and university officials later clarified that no one was in custody. The search for the shooter was ongoing.
Providence Councilmember John Goncalves, a Brown alum, said he was heartbroken. “My heart goes out to the families and everyone affected by this tragedy,” he said.
This shooting is the 71st school shooting in the United States this year, according to the Gun Violence Archive.
Featured image via X screengrab
