A palpable sense of fear and grief hangs over Providence, Rhode Island, as a major manhunt continues for the suspect behind a deadly shooting at the prestigious Brown University. The attack on Saturday left two students dead and nine others injured, sending shockwaves through the tightly-knit campus community and the city's East Side neighbourhood.
A Community on High Alert
The sound of helicopters and sirens underscored the tense atmosphere on Monday, with federal and local law enforcement officers canvassing local businesses for security footage and sweeping properties with police dogs. The search intensified after authorities released a man detained on Sunday, confirming the perpetrator remained at large.
"It's so tense," said Jennifer Kandarian, manager of Books on the Square, a short walk from the crime scene. "Everybody's aware that a horrible thing happened, and the person's still not caught. You can't even fathom the tragedy."
The anxiety was compounded by a false alarm; rumours of another shooting at a nearby apartment complex prompted a lockdown and police perimeter. Providence police later confirmed the loud noise was a boiler backfiring, but the incident left residents even more rattled.
Heightened Security and a City in Mourning
In response to the ongoing threat, several private schools closed as a precaution, while public schools remained open with increased security before cancelling all after-school activities. Mayor Brett Smiley acknowledged the profound impact on the community's sense of security.
"This has shaken us," Smiley stated at an evening news conference. "This is a process to restore our sense of safety. But we're going to take those a step at a time." He promised a highly visible police presence to reassure the public.
Around the Ivy League campus, usually bustling areas were eerily quiet, with many shops closed and few people on the streets. Jamiere Barr, an employee at Sneaker Junkies, voiced a common fear: "It could be anyone. He could still be out here. He could be on the street right now. You never know."
Memorials and Reflections on Safety
A short distance from the commercial strip, a sombre memorial grew outside the building where the shooting occurred. Mourners left flowers, shared hugs, and comforted one another. One note read: "BROWN Community. Your Providence neighbours love you."
For some, the tragedy was a grim reminder of the pervasive nature of gun violence. Patricia Rodarte, a surgery resident and Brown alumna, visited the memorial. Originally from El Paso, Texas, she had previously mourned at a memorial for the 2019 Walmart mass shooting in her hometown.
"This was a safe place, in this ivory tower," Rodarte reflected. "But no place really is safe in the current landscape that we're in."
Carlos Ponce De Leon, who graduated from Brown last year, was on the second floor of the building during the attack. "I'm so incredibly lucky to be here," he said, channelling his emotions into his work as a researcher at Rhode Island Hospital—the very facility treating the injured students.
As Monday drew to a close, authorities released video footage of a new person of interest, confirming the investigation was advancing but the immediate threat unresolved. The city of Providence and its renowned university now face the arduous task of healing while the search for answers—and the suspect—continues.
