U.S. investigators are intensifying efforts to track down a suspect linked to two separate but closely watched violent attacks in Massachusetts and Rhode Island, as authorities examine whether the incidents may be connected.
According to three people familiar with the ongoing investigation, law enforcement officials have identified a person of interest and are actively searching for the individual. The sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the inquiry remains fluid and sensitive.
On Saturday, an attacker opened fire inside an engineering classroom at Brown University in Providence, killing two students and wounding nine others before fleeing the scene. Nearly a week later, frustration and anxiety continue to mount in the city as no arrest has been made and no clear image of the suspect’s face has been released.
About 80 kilometres north, MIT professor Nuno F. G. Loureiro was shot and killed at his home in the Boston suburb of Brookline on Monday night. The 47-year-old physicist and fusion scientist was rushed to hospital but died the following day. The FBI earlier said it was not aware of any confirmed links between the two cases, though investigators continue to assess all possibilities.
Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Neronha said authorities are combing through evidence and urging the public to review phone and security footage from the days leading up to the Brown University attack, believing the shooter may have surveyed the area in advance.
Investigators have released several surveillance videos showing a person matching witness descriptions moving through streets near the Brown campus before and after the shooting. In all clips, the individual’s face is obscured by a mask or turned away from cameras. Officials noted that the shooting occurred in an older section of the engineering building with limited camera coverage, and the suspect is believed to have entered and exited through a door facing a nearby residential street.
Providence Mayor Brett Smiley acknowledged growing public concern, describing the situation as “a scary time in the city,” particularly as families consider holiday travel plans. He said local and federal authorities are doing everything possible to reassure residents and maintain safety.
Security experts note that while it is uncommon for attackers in high-profile shootings to evade capture for extended periods, such cases are not unprecedented. Former FBI agent Katherine Schweit said successful investigations often depend on public assistance as authorities piece together timelines and evidence.
Meanwhile, the MIT community is mourning the loss of Professor Loureiro, a leading figure in fusion energy research who joined the university in 2016 and was appointed last year to lead the Plasma Science and Fusion Center. Colleagues described him as a respected mentor and visionary scientist whose work aimed to shape the future of clean energy.
As the search continues, investigators say there is no evidence so far that specific individuals were targeted in the Brown University attack. Authorities are urging anyone with relevant information to come forward as they pursue leads across state lines.
