A person of interest detained in connection with a shooting at Brown University that left two students dead and nine others injured will be released after investigators determined the case was moving in a “different direction,” officials announced late Sunday.
The unexpected development was revealed during a hastily called nighttime news conference, marking a dramatic shift in an investigation that had shaken the Ivy League campus. Authorities had said more than 12 hours earlier that a person had been taken into custody in connection with the attack. The individual’s release means the person responsible for the shooting may still be at large.
“We know this will likely cause renewed anxiety in our community,” Providence Mayor Brett Smiley said.
Attorney General Peter Neronha said the change reflects the evolving nature of the investigation. “Sometimes you head in one direction and then have to regroup and go another way,” he said. “That’s exactly what has happened over the last 24 hours.”
Providence Police Chief Col. Oscar Perez said Sunday afternoon that no charges have been filed and that no additional suspects are currently being sought. He declined to say whether the detained individual had any connection to Brown University.
The person of interest was taken into custody at a Hampton Inn in Coventry, Rhode Island, about 20 miles from Providence. Police officers and FBI agents remained at the hotel Sunday, blocking off part of a hallway with crime scene tape while searching the area.
The shooting occurred Saturday afternoon, triggering hours of chaos on campus and in nearby neighborhoods. Hundreds of law enforcement officers searched for the gunman as students and staff were ordered to shelter in place. The lockdown lasted into the night and was lifted early Sunday. Authorities have not yet released information about a possible motive.
Earlier Sunday, officials confirmed that a person had been detained, described by two people familiar with the investigation as a 24-year-old man from Wisconsin. Authorities never publicly identified the individual, who is now being released.
University officials said one of the nine wounded students has been discharged from the hospital. Seven others remain in critical but stable condition, while one student is still in critical condition.