Multiple people have been shot in the area of Brown University, police said, as the school issued an active shooter alert and urged students and staff to take shelter during the second day of final exams.
Police did not immediately release details about the victims’ conditions or the circumstances of the shooting.
University officials initially told students and staff that a suspect was in custody, before later saying that was not the case and that police were still searching for a suspect or suspects, according to alerts issued through Brown’s emergency notification system.
In this image from video, law enforcement officials gather outside the Brown University campus in Providence. (AP)
A police officer warned members of the media to take cover in vehicles because the area was still an active scene.
“We’re still getting information about what’s going on, but we’re just telling people to lock their doors and to stay vigilant,” said Providence Councilmember John Goncalves, whose ward includes the Brown campus.
“As a Brown alum, someone who loves the Brown community and represents this area, I’m heartbroken. My heart goes out to all the family members and the folks who’ve been impacted.”
Officers carrying assault weapons and emergency vehicles lined many of the streets surrounding the engineering school.
Officials were still gathering information, said Kristy DosReis, chief public information officer for the city.
“God bless the victims and the families of the victims!” he said on his social media site.
Brown University alerted students to an active shooter. (Instagram/@brownu)
The Ivy League school is a private, non-profit institution with about 7300 undergraduates and just over 3000 graduate students, according to its website.
Saturday was the second day of final exams for the fall semester.
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