Investigation Unfolds After Tragic Shootings Linked to Former Brown Student

Sat Dec 20 2025 12:16:39 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

In a shocking turn of events, a former student of Brown University has been identified as the perpetrator behind a tragic shooting that resulted in multiple casualties, raising urgent questions about his activities leading up to the incident.

Claudio Neves Valente, a 48-year-old Portuguese national and former Brown University student, returned to the campus just before Thanksgiving. On December 13, he opened fire in a lecture hall, killing two students and injuring nine others. Valente evaded capture following the attack but was later found to have fatally shot an MIT professor, a former classmate. Authorities are piecing together his movements leading up to the tragic events, utilizing extensive surveillance footage.

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (FlashPoint) — Claudio Neves Valente, a 48-year-old Portuguese national, returned to Brown University, the place where he studied physics 25 years ago, shortly before Thanksgiving. His recent visits raised flags among faculty and staff.

On December 13, Valente returned for a tragic reason; he opened fire in a lecture hall, resulting in the deaths of two students and injuring nine others. The chaos allowed him to flee the scene, leaving authorities scrambling for leads.

Earlier in the holiday season, Valente had been spotted multiple times around campus in a gray Nissan rental car with Florida plates. His activities were, however, noticeably strange, with witnesses reporting an erratic presence near the campus buildings.

Investigation into Valente's actions took a darker turn when he was linked to the shooting of MIT professor Nuno F.G. Loureiro, a former classmate. Just a day after the Brown shooting, Loureiro was found dead in his home, having suffered fatal gunshot wounds. Authorities are now investigating whether the two incidents are connected, as they are both tied to Valente’s past.

Footage released by authorities showed Valente with his identity obscured, wearing a mask and beanie, making it challenging for investigators to gather evidence in the immediate aftermath of the shooting. Providence police have described a witness encounter with Valente that proved pivotal; it provided crucial details that led to tracking his movements.

Despite the lack of clear identification from victims, investigators utilized surveillance networks in Providence to connect the dots between Valente's actions that culminated in these tragic incidents. As they search for answers, the incident leaves a profound impact on both the Brown University community and the greater Rhode Island area.