Key Takeaways:
- A person of interest in the Brown University mass shooting has been released without charges due to new evidence pointing in a different direction.
- The shooting left two people dead and nine others injured, with six victims in critical but stable condition.
- Authorities are still searching for the shooter and encouraging anyone with information to come forward.
- The FBI is conducting interviews in Wisconsin and Alabama as part of the investigation.
- One of the victims, Ella Cook, a Brown University student, has been identified and remembered by her church community.
Introduction to the Incident
The person of interest detained in connection with the fatal mass shooting at Brown University is being released without charges, according to Providence mayor Brett Smiley. This announcement was made during a press conference on Sunday night, following the detention of the individual earlier that day. The Rhode Island Attorney General, Peter Neronha, stated that there had been evidence pointing to this individual, but that evidence "now points in a different direction." This development has raised more questions than answers, as the investigation into the shooting continues.
Detention and Investigation
The person of interest was detained early Sunday in connection with the deadly mass shooting at Brown University, according to Kristy DosReis, a spokesperson for the Providence Police Department. The individual was caught around 3:45 a.m. at a hotel in Coventry, Rhode Island, about 28 miles south of Providence, according to law enforcement sources and Coventry police. At the time of detention, the person of interest was allegedly in possession of two guns, according to sources. Col. Oscar L. Perez, Jr., chief of the Providence Police Department, declined to comment on a possible motive in the shooting, saying detectives are continuing to collect evidence and execute search warrants.
Search for the Shooter
Law enforcement agencies in Rhode Island initially said no one else is being sought in the shooting that left two people dead and nine others injured, according to officials. However, on Sunday night, mayor Smiley said another shelter-in-place is not recommended, and authorities are still searching for the shooter. The police are encouraging anyone with information to contact them, as the investigation is ongoing. According to ABC News, six victims are in critical but stable condition, one person is in critical condition, one person is in stable condition, and one person has been discharged from a hospital.
FBI Involvement and Victim Identification
12 News cameras captured FBI agents at a home in Cedarburg, Wisconsin, on Sunday afternoon, and the FBI declined to comment. Cedarburg Police, in a post on Facebook, confirmed agents were in town to conduct interviews related to the shooting. Cathedral Church of the Advent in Birmingham, Alabama, identified one of the victims killed in Saturday’s shooting as Ella Cook, a Brown University student and a parishioner at the church. The church’s reverend, Craig Smalley, announced her death in his service Sunday morning, calling Cook “incredibly grounded and generous and faithful” and a “bright light” in the church and in her community. WISN 12 News is still working to learn more about the victims of the shooting.
Ongoing Investigation
The investigation into the Brown University mass shooting is ongoing, with authorities working to gather more information and piece together the events surrounding the incident. The release of the person of interest without charges has added a new layer of complexity to the case, and the police are urging anyone with information to come forward. As the community mourns the loss of life and struggles to come to terms with the tragedy, the search for the shooter and the pursuit of justice continue. The FBI’s involvement in the investigation, including interviews in Wisconsin and Alabama, suggests that the case may have a wider reach than initially thought. As the story continues to unfold, one thing is clear: the Brown University community and the nation are left to grapple with the aftermath of a senseless and devastating act of violence.
