PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) — Multiple people were shot in the Brown University area on Saturday, police said, prompting the Ivy League school to issue a shooting alert and urge students and faculty to take shelter on the second day of final exams.
Police did not immediately release details about the number of victims, their conditions or the circumstances of the shooting.
University officials initially told students and staff that a suspect was in custody, but later said that was not the case and that police were still looking for one or more suspects, according to an alert sent out by Brown’s emergency notification system.
“We’re still getting information about what’s going on, but we’re just telling people to lock their doors and be vigilant,” said Providence City Councilman John Goncalves, whose district includes the Brown campus. “As a Brown alumnus who loves the Brown community and represents this region, I am heartbroken. My heart goes out to all the family members and those impacted.”
The shooting reportedly occurred near the Barus & Holley Building, a seven-story complex that houses the university’s College of Engineering and Department of Physics. The building includes more than 100 laboratories, dozens of classrooms and offices, according to the university’s website.
An engineering design exam was taking place inside the building at the time of the shooting.
President Donald Trump said late in the afternoon that he had been briefed on the shooting.
“May God bless the victims and their families!” he said on his social media site.
When police arrived, students were urged to shelter in place and people were told to avoid the area. A police officer warned media to take cover in vehicles as the area remained an active scene.
Officials cautioned that the information is still preliminary as investigators work to determine what happened.
City of Providence Chief Public Information Officer Christie Dosres said police are actively investigating and are still gathering information from the scene. The FBI said it is assisting with the response.
Brown University is a private university with approximately 7,300 undergraduate students and more than 3,000 graduate students. Saturday is the second day of final exams for the fall semester.
