The suspect in last week's mass shooting at Brown University has been found dead in a storage facility in Salem, New Hampshire, following a six-day multi-state manhunt, police say.
Identified as Claudio Neves Valente, a 48-year-old Portuguese national, he had attended the university in Providence, Rhode Island, around 25 years ago. Providence police chief Oscar Perez disclosed that video evidence and public tips led investigators to a car-rental location where they associated Valente's name with their person of interest.
Officials suspect that Valente also killed MIT professor Nuno Gomes Loureiro, 47, just two days after the Brown shooting.
Initial findings indicate Valente died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, while police have yet to ascertain how long he had been in the storage facility.
Brown University president Christina Paxson confirmed Valente was a PhD student in physics from autumn 2000 until spring 2001, but he had no current affiliation with the university.
The suspect's car, spotted near both shooting scenes, was tied to evidence found at both investigation sites. Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Neronha reported that Valente was discovered with two firearms.
FBI Special Agent-in-Charge Ted Docks emphasized that despite Valente's death, many questions linger, and the investigation will continue with approximately 500 agents engaged.
Leah B Foley, representing the US attorney in Massachusetts, indicated that Valente utilized a phone designed to obscure tracking, showcasing sophistication in his evasion tactics.
In response to the shooting, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem announced a suspension of the green card lottery program, claiming that Valente should not have been allowed into the country. Valente entered the US through this diversity visa program in 2017.
In the shooting at Brown University, which occurred during a study session ahead of final exams, two students were killed: Ella Cook, 19, and Mukhammad Aziz Umurzokov, 18, with nine others sustaining injuries.
As investigations continue, police are urging patience from the public as they work diligently to uncover the full extent of the events surrounding these tragic occurrences.
