Police in the United States have revealed that the gunman responsible for a deadly shooting at Brown University in Rhode Island is also the prime suspect in the murder of a professor at the prestigious Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). The suspect, a former Brown student, was found dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound after a six-day manhunt.
A Trail of Violence Across Two Campuses
Claudio Neves Valente, 48, a Portuguese national, was discovered deceased inside a storage facility in Salem, New Hampshire, on Thursday night. Providence Police Chief Col. Oscar Perez confirmed the death, ending a frantic search that began after last Saturday's mass shooting at Brown University in Providence.
Investigators now believe Neves Valente acted alone in two separate attacks. The first occurred on December 13 in a Brown University lecture hall, where he fatally shot two students and wounded nine others during a study session. Two days later, on December 15, he is suspected of travelling nearly 50 miles to the Boston suburbs, where he gunned down MIT professor Nuno F.G. Loureiro, 47, at his home.
The suspect, who was enrolled as a graduate physics student at Brown from the fall of 2000 to the spring of 2001, had no current affiliation with the university, according to Brown President Christina Paxson.
Break in the Case from Social Media Tip
The investigation took a critical turn thanks to a tip from a vigilant member of the public, known only as 'John' in court documents. After police released security footage of a person of interest, John recognised the individual from an encounter on the day of the Brown shooting and posted his suspicions on the social media forum Reddit.
His post on December 16 identified a grey Nissan with Florida plates as the suspect's vehicle. Reddit users urged him to contact the FBI, which he did. This tip led investigators to the car, which was a rental, and ultimately to Neves Valente's identity.
"When you do crack it, you crack it. And that person led us to the car, which led us to the name," said Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Neronha.
Victims Remembered and Motive Unclear
The two Brown students killed were 19-year-old sophomore Ella Cook, an active member of the Brown College Republicans, and 18-year-old freshman Mukhammad Aziz Umurzokov, an aspiring doctor whose family immigrated from Uzbekistan. Of the nine wounded, three had been discharged from hospital by Thursday, with six in stable condition.
Professor Nuno Loureiro, a married father-of-three and a lauded theoretical physicist, had joined MIT in 2016. He was named last year to lead the school's Plasma Science and Fusion Centre. Neighbours described him as a kind-hearted and wonderful man.
Authorities revealed that Loureiro was the gunman's original target, but the precise motive remains unknown. The two men had both attended the same academic program at a university in Portugal between 1995 and 2000. Investigators stated there are still "a lot of unknowns" regarding why the attacks occurred now and why these specific victims were targeted.
Following the identification of the suspect, authorities tracked his movements using street camera networks. He was seen entering an apartment building near Loureiro's home and, about an hour later, the New Hampshire storage unit where his body was found. He was carrying a satchel and two firearms.
FBI Special Agent-in-Charge Ted Docks emphasised that the work is not over, stating, "There are many questions that need to be answered." The case highlights the tragic impact of gun violence on academic communities and the critical role public cooperation can play in investigations.
