It's been five days since a gunman shot multiple students in a classroom at Brown University, killing two and injuring nine others, and up until now, there's been very little in the way of answers. After a series of press conferences that seemed primarily to stoke confusion, officials finally provided a concrete update regarding the situation late Thursday night: The suspect has been identified as 48-year-old Claudio Manuel Neves-Valente.
The Providence, Rhode Island, press conference was originally set for 4:00 PM Eastern, but got pushed back repeatedly as rumors swirled that authorities had identified a person of interest in the matter — the individual seen on video they'd released previously. Soon, there were aerial views of a storage facility in Salem, New Hampshire, and a gray Nissan Sentra thought to be connected to the murders.
Aerials over a parking lot on the border of MA and NH; a gray Nissan Sentra wanted in relation to a homicide (unclear if it's Brookline or Rhode Island) according to scanner traffic.
— Jennifer Van Laar (@jenvanlaar) December 18, 2025
LIVE: NEW official update in Brown shooting, suspect reportedly identified… pic.twitter.com/PW8rI6fULC
Additionally, there were indications that the Brown University shooting might be connected to the murder of MIT professor Nuno Loureiro at his home in Brookline, Massachusetts, on Monday.
Ahead of the press conference (which began shortly after 9:30 PM Eastern), Fox News' Brooke Taylor tweeted that the suspected shooter had been found dead of a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
#FIRSTONFOX: Sources confirm to me that the suspected shooter gas been found DEAD from self inflicted gunshot wound inside the storage facility
— Brooke Taylor (@Brooketaylortv) December 19, 2025
ALSO SEE: Dramatic Audio Captures First Responder, Police Response to Brown University Shooter
At the press conference, authorities, as noted, identified the suspected gunman as 48-year-old Claudio Manuel Neves-Valente, who they indicated was a Portuguese national and also a former Brown University student. He obtained lawful permanent residence status in April of 2017.
Providence Police Chief Oscar Perez confirmed that Neves-Valente is the individual shown in the videos authorities shared with the public. Per Perez, a vehicle was picked up via a license plate recognition camera, which led law enforcement to a car rental agency in Massachusetts, from which they were able to obtain video footage of the individual, along with a rental agreement that provided his real name. His last known address was in Miami, Florida. They were able to obtain his financial records that then led them to the storage facility.
Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Neronha confirmed that the second individual seen in the video they shared yesterday helped "blow the case open." They had high praise for his assistance in their being able to identify Neves-Valente. Per Neronha, information they obtained from the second individual led them to the license plate, which led them to the car, which led them to the name, to the photos, and to the storage facility. Neves-Valente was found with a satchel containing two firearms and evidence in the car that matches what we see at the scene in Providence. Neronha also stated that Neves-Valente had swapped out the plates on the vehicle (including Florida plates and Maine plates).
Brown University President Christina Paxson confirmed that Neves-Valente was enrolled at Brown from the fall of 2000 to the spring of 2001. He was a PhD student in physics. Per Paxson, physics classes were mostly held in the Barus and Holley engineering building, where the shooting occurred. She noted it's safe to assume that when he was a student, he spent a great deal of time in that building as a PhD student in physics. He had no current affiliation with the university.
Both Perez and FBI Special Agent in Charge Ted Docks also confirmed that the Brown University shooting and the MIT shooting are connected. Docks acknowledged that initially, when asked about it, they saw no indication that they were connected, but they have since determined that they were. Neither was willing to share much about the Massachusetts shooting, noting that the investigation is being led by U.S. Attorney Leah Foley. Massachusetts authorities are expected to hold their own press conference tonight.
Of note, both Loureiro and Neves-Valente attended the same university in Lisbon (presumably prior to the fall of 2000).
Per Perez, as far as they know, Neves-Valente acted alone, and there is no known antisemitism component. They believed he flew into Providence sometime in October and has been traveling in and around New England since then.
A press release on the Rhode Island Attorney General's website sets forth additional details, along with the affidavit used to secure an arrest warrant for Neves-Valente prior to his death.
Neves-Valente's motive remains unclear, and obviously, there remain many questions regarding these shootings. RedState will continue to follow the story and provide additional updates as warranted.
Editor’s Note: Do you enjoy RedState’s conservative reporting that takes on the radical left and woke media? Support our work so that we can continue to bring you the truth.
Join RedState VIP and use the promo code FIGHT to get 60% off your VIP membership!
Join the conversation as a VIP Member