Students Locked Down in Dorms Express Shock and Fear After Brown University Shooting
Providence, R.I. — Students at Brown University described hours of fear, confusion, and heartbreak Saturday night as the campus was placed under lockdown following a deadly shooting that left two people dead and several others wounded.
As law enforcement agencies continued an intensive search for a suspect still believed to be at large, students across the Ivy League campus were ordered to shelter in place, lock doors, silence phones, and remain hidden.
Fear Spreads Across Campus
Brown sophomore Satvik Paduri, 19, said he was inside his dorm when emergency alerts warned of an active shooter near the Barus & Holley engineering and physics building.
“I definitely don’t feel comfortable going out of my dorm room just because they haven’t found the shooter,” Paduri said. “Obviously, he could be anywhere.”
Paduri said many of his friends were not as fortunate, remaining locked inside libraries or crowded dorm rooms for hours as police secured the area.
“There was a moment when one of my friends appeared online as still being inside the engineering building,” he said. “We later found out he escaped but left his phone behind in the panic. That’s terrifying.”
Chaos and Emergency Response
Another sophomore, Atman Shah, 19, said he and a friend were walking near campus when they noticed an unusual surge of emergency vehicles racing through nearby residential streets.
“You saw police cars with lights and sirens going like 60 miles an hour,” Shah said. “That’s when we knew something serious was happening.”
Shah and several others crowded into a dorm room that normally houses far fewer students, preparing to spend the night sheltering in place.
“As of right now, it seems like we’re spending the night here,” Shah said. “It’s been a pretty shocking day.”
University and Police Updates
Brown University issued its first emergency alert at approximately 4:22 p.m. local time, warning of an active shooter and urging people to hide, evacuate if safe, or fight as a last resort. Later updates confirmed that police did not have a suspect in custody and that multiple law enforcement agencies, including Providence Police, ATF, and the FBI, were assisting.
Providence police later confirmed that multiple people were shot in the area near campus, calling it an active investigation and urging the public to avoid the area.
President Calls Shooting “Deeply Tragic”
Brown University President Christina H. Paxson described the incident as “a deeply tragic day” for the university and surrounding community.
“There are truly no words that can express the deep sorrow we are feeling,” Paxson wrote, urging students to contact loved ones and reassure them of their safety.
She also thanked law enforcement for their swift response and warned that the suspect — described as a male dressed in black — remained at large.
“This is a day we hoped would never come to our community,” Paxson said.
‘It Hits Close to Home’
While both Paduri and Shah said they had indirect experiences with gun violence elsewhere, they described this incident as uniquely personal.
“This hits a lot closer to home,” Paduri said. “It’s shocking.”
Students said their thoughts remain with the victims, their families, and classmates still coping with fear and uncertainty as the investigation continues.
🔴 This is a developing story and will be updated as new information becomes available.