Brown and MIT manhunt live updates as sources say shootings may be linked

Police and federal authorities are conducting a multi‑state manhunt after two shootings that left three people dead and one suspected assailant later found dead, officials said on December 18, 2025. Law enforcement sources told CBS News investigators are probing a possible link between the mass shooting at Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island, and the fatal shooting of an MIT professor in Brookline, Massachusetts. Authorities identified the deceased person of interest as 48‑year‑old Claudio Neves‑Valente, described as a Brown student and Portuguese national; he was found dead in Salem, New Hampshire, with a satchel and two firearms. Local, state and federal agencies continue searches, share surveillance footage and appeal for public tips as investigations proceed.

Key Takeaways

• Three victims were killed: two Brown University students, Ella Cook and Mukhammad Aziz Umurzokov, and MIT professor Nuno Loureiro, 47; the professor died after being found shot on Dec. 15, 2025.
• Authorities identified the person of interest as 48‑year‑old Claudio Neves‑Valente, a Portuguese national and reported Brown student; he was located dead in a Salem, New Hampshire, storage unit on Dec. 18, 2025.
• Investigators found a satchel and two firearms with the deceased person of interest, Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Neronha said during a briefing.
• The suspect’s last known U.S. residence was reported as Miami, Florida; law enforcement said a rented vehicle tied to the case was sought after being seen near the MIT professor’s apartment.
• Surveillance footage places the person of interest near Brown campus around 2:00 p.m. and last observed at 4:06 p.m. on the afternoon of the campus shooting on Dec. 16, 2025.
• Federal agencies including the U.S. Marshals Service, the FBI, Providence police and local New Hampshire authorities cooperated on searches around Salem, NH, and the Massachusetts border.
• Methuen, Massachusetts, police deployed officers to the Salem area to assist an active investigation; officials said there was no known imminent threat to Methuen residents at the time of the statement.

Background

The incidents began earlier in the week when MIT nuclear science and engineering professor Nuno Loureiro was found shot at his Brookline, Massachusetts, apartment on Dec. 15, 2025 and later died at a hospital. Loureiro, 47, led work at MIT’s Plasma Science and Fusion Center and was widely remembered by colleagues for his scientific leadership and mentoring. Two days later, on Dec. 16, 2025, a mass shooting occurred on the Brown University campus in Providence, Rhode Island, in the Barus & Holley building, killing two students and injuring others.

Authorities treated the Brookline homicide and the Providence campus shooting as separate incidents initially, but investigators later pursued a possible connection after surveillance and vehicle sightings suggested overlap. Brown University, a private Ivy League institution with a residential campus in downtown Providence, mobilized campus safety resources and issued alerts; the city and state law enforcement agencies coordinated multi‑jurisdictional responses. The combination of a campus shooting and the killing of a regional academic drew federal attention because of the cross‑state movements and the involvement of a rented vehicle traced near two crime scenes.

Main Event

On Dec. 16, 2025, at about 4:00 p.m., a shooting occurred inside Barus & Holley on the Brown campus. Investigators released surveillance video showing a person of interest in dark clothing, hat and face covering near campus beginning around 2:00 p.m., pacing and jogging in nearby streets before the shooting. The FBI described the person as approximately 5‑foot‑8 and stocky; enhancements to images did not yield a clear facial view. After the attack, sources say the subject moved through a parking area and was last seen on camera at 4:06 p.m.

Law enforcement sources told CBS News that a rented vehicle matching one seen near the Brookline apartment of Professor Loureiro was sought as part of the probe. Investigators allege the same make and model of car appeared in surveillance near Loureiro’s residence before his death on Dec. 15. Local authorities and federal partners canvassed areas where the vehicle was reported and appealed to rental companies and registries for leads.

On Dec. 18, 2025, officers converged on a storage‑unit facility in Salem, New Hampshire, where federal marshals, Providence police and Salem officers were reported on scene; a vehicle possibly linked to the investigation was found abandoned nearby. Methuen, Massachusetts, police confirmed deployment to the Salem border area to assist with an “active investigation into a recent death,” while cautioning there was no immediate risk to Methuen residents. Rhode Island officials later confirmed the person of interest had been found deceased in a Salem unit.

At a Thursday evening press conference, Providence Police Chief Col. Oscar Perez and Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Neronha named Claudio Neves‑Valente as the deceased person of interest and outlined that he was found with a satchel and two firearms. Officials said Neves‑Valente was identified as a Brown student and a Portuguese national whose last known U.S. address was in Miami, Florida. The discovery prompted case coordination among multiple agencies to determine motive, timeline and whether more persons were involved.

Analysis & Implications

If investigators confirm a connection between the Brookline homicide and the Brown campus shooting, the case will highlight how small‑window cross‑jurisdictional movements complicate rapid threat assessment. A suspect moving between Massachusetts, Rhode Island and New Hampshire within a short period stretches local investigative resources and requires expedited information‑sharing protocols among city, state and federal agencies. The use of a rented vehicle and storage facility locations increases the investigative focus on vehicle rental records, surveillance logs and regional logistical footprints.

The apparent targeting of an academic and of university students has heightened concerns about campus and researcher security, particularly for scientists working in high‑profile fields. Universities nationwide may review access controls, visitor screening and after‑hours monitoring of academic buildings. Institutions with close urban integration like Brown must balance open campus norms with transient threat management when suspicious activity emerges nearby.

Politically and legally, the case could prompt discussion about interstate coordination for violent crime response and the speed of public communications. Officials must balance rapid disclosure of useful information — surveillance still images, vehicle descriptions and suspect identifiers — with not compromising investigative leads. Prosecutors, if charges are later filed, will rely on chain‑of‑custody records from multiple agencies and surveillance platforms spanning three states, which can complicate pretrial litigation and evidentiary motions.

Comparison & Data

The table above summarizes key dates, locations and identified victims or persons of interest. Investigative leads have focused on surveillance timestamps (first sighting circa 2:00 p.m.; last Brown campus sighting at 4:06 p.m.), vehicle sightings near two scenes, and physical evidence recovered with the person of interest. These discrete data points frame the sequence investigators are reconstructing to determine travel corridors and whether the incidents were premeditated or connected by motive.

Reactions & Quotes

Brown University and local leaders issued public messages of mourning and calls for vigilance while investigations continued. Campus officials have positioned support services for students and urged anyone with information to contact law enforcement.

“Nuno was not only a brilliant scientist, he was a brilliant person … his loss is immeasurable to our community.”

MIT colleague Dennis Whyte / MIT statement

This remark came in an obituary and memorial message from MIT colleagues highlighting Loureiro’s scientific leadership; the university emphasized grief support and an internal review of campus safety for faculty and students.

“Ella was a devoted Christian and a committed conservative who represented the very best of Alabama.”

Alabama Lt. Governor Will Ainsworth (social post)

The comment followed Brown’s announcement naming the two student victims; state and local officials, classmates and friends offered condolences and asked the public to respect grieving families while the investigation proceeded.

“Federal authorities, with the assistance of state and local law enforcement agencies, are currently mobilizing resources at the border by Salem, NH/Methuen.”

Methuen Police Department statement

Methuen police issued the public notice to clarify deployments near the state border and to reassure residents that no imminent threat to Methuen had been identified at the time.

Unconfirmed

• Whether the Brookline homicide and the Brown campus shooting were directed by the same confirmed motive remains under investigation and unverified publicly.
• Reports that the suspect had traveled from Miami immediately prior to the events are based on last known residency details and have not been fully corroborated with travel records released by authorities.
• Initial media accounts described a rented vehicle of the same make and model near both scenes; formal forensic linkage of the vehicle to both incidents has not been publicly confirmed.

Bottom Line

The unfolding investigation spans three states and involves a dense set of surveillance, vehicle and witness data that authorities say may link the killing of an MIT professor and a mass shooting at Brown University. Officials have identified a deceased person of interest, found with firearms and a satchel in Salem, New Hampshire, but investigators caution that many factual threads require forensic verification and corroboration.

For the public, the case underscores the importance of cross‑agency coordination in fast‑moving criminal probes and the need for careful, evidence‑based public communication. In the days ahead, investigators are likely to release additional forensic findings, clarify the suspect’s movements and motive (if established), and provide more definitive answers about whether the incidents were connected and whether any additional threats exist.

Sources

• CBS News — live updates (news outlet)
• Providence Police Department — official statement portal (official law enforcement)
• Rhode Island Attorney General — press releases (official)
• MIT News — statement/obituary (official university)
• The Boston Globe — reporting and imagery (news outlet)