PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) — A man suspected of killing two and wounding several others at Brown University has been found dead in a New Hampshire storage facility where he had rented a unit. Claudio Neves Valente, 48, a former Brown student and Portuguese national, was found deceased on Thursday evening due to a self-inflicted gunshot wound, as reported by Providence Police Chief Col. Oscar Perez during a news conference. Investigators believe Valente acted alone in the attacks.
Authorities suspect Neves Valente is responsible for both the mass shooting at Brown University, which occurred on Saturday, and the fatal shooting of Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) professor Nuno F.G. Loureiro, who was shot at his home in Brookline, Massachusetts, on Monday. The tragic events resulted in the deaths of two individuals and injuries to nine others at Brown University.
Brown University President Christina Paxson confirmed that Neves Valente was enrolled in the institution from the fall of 2000 to the spring of 2001, where he studied physics as a graduate student. She stated that he has no current affiliation with the university, as he obtained legal permanent residence status in September 2017. The last known address for Neves Valente was in Miami.
Details regarding Neves Valente’s academic history reveal he attended the same academic program at a university in Portugal as Loureiro between 1995 and 2000. This connection prompted a closer investigation into a potential link between the two shootings, which the FBI initially stated showed no obvious connections.
The investigation took a significant turn after a second individual, identified as being near the suspect, came forward following a press conference on Wednesday. Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Neronha stated that this individual played a crucial role in progressing the investigation, leading authorities to identify the rental car used by Neves Valente. This vehicle was observed outside Brown University during the shooting.
After leaving Rhode Island and traveling to Massachusetts, Neves Valente attempted to conceal his identity by covering the rental car's license plate with a Maine plate. Surveillance footage captured him entering an apartment building close to Loureiro’s residence shortly before the professor's shooting and later showed him entering the storage facility where he was ultimately found dead.
As the investigation continues, officials acknowledge that many details remain unclear, particularly regarding the motive behind the shootings. Neronha expressed his concern, stating, "We don’t know why now, why Brown, why these students, and why this classroom." This uncertainty has led to frustration in Providence, as the search for the individual responsible stretched on without clear visuals captured due to the lack of cameras in the older sections of the campus's engineering building.
In discussions surrounding targeted mass attacks, experts note that shooters often die by suicide, are fatally apprehended by law enforcement, or elude capture for extended periods. Historical examples include the Boston Marathon bombing in 2013 when investigators required four days to locate the perpetrators, and the recent case involving Army reservist Robert Card, who took his own life shortly after committing mass shootings in Lewiston, Maine.
The shooting of Loureiro, who had been an esteemed professor at MIT since 2016 and led the school’s Plasma Science and Fusion Center, has further cast a shadow over the academic community. Known for his work in clean energy technology, Loureiro was described as a bright mentor and leader whose contributions were aimed at addressing humanity's significant challenges.
In conclusion, the tragic events surrounding the shootings at Brown University and the death of MIT professor Nuno Loureiro have sparked deep concern and reflection within both educational institutions and the wider communities they serve. Investigations continue as authorities aim to comprehend the underlying motives and connections of these incidents.
