A person of interest has been released by authorities after a Brown University shooting killed two students and injured nine others.
The disclosure, made at a late-night news conference, came more than 12 hours after officials had announced they had taken a person into custody in connection with the attack.
‘We know that this is likely to cause fresh anxiety for our community,’ Mayor Brett Smiley said.
‘I’ve been around long enough to know that sometimes you head in one direction and then you have to regroup and go in another, and that’s exactly what has happened over the last 24 hours or so,’ said Attorney General Peter Neronha.
The attack on Saturday afternoon set off hours of chaos across campus and surrounding Providence neighbourhoods as hundreds of officers searched for the attacker and urged students and staff to shelter in place.
The lockdown, which stretched into the night, was lifted early on Sunday, but authorities had not yet released information about a potential motive.
The gunman opened fire on the first floor of an engineering building at around 9 pm (UK time).
People were seen fleeing out of the engineering building, where students were taking a final economics exam review.
One student injured in the attack is in critical condition, while seven others are in stable condition. A ninth has been discharged.
Police released CCTV footage of a person they believe is the shooter, though his face was not visible.
The person is seen walking with his back to the camera, turning the corner onto Hope Street, where the engineering building is located.
He was described as in his 30s, wearing dark clothing or grey camouflage.
Sophomore Zoe Weissman, who witnessed the 2018 shooting at Parkland High School in Florida, said it ‘feels like 2018 again’.
She told CNN: ‘I’m just angry that there are kids like me in this country who have had to go through this not once, but twice.’
On the Brown University Reddit page, one student wrote: ‘Texting all my friends to make sure they’re alive is not something I have ever wanted to do. Hold people close, hold governments accountable.’
Thousands of students were sent an alert, reading: ‘There’s an active shooter near Barus and Holley Engineering. Lock doors, silence phones and stay hidden until further notice.’
President Donald Trump wrote on social media: ‘God bless the victims and the families of the victims!’
Governor Dan McKee said: ‘Our capital city experienced an unthinkable tragedy today. Our hearts are with the people of Providence and all those impacted.’
Uni president Christina Paxson said in a college-wide email: ‘I want to thank every member of our community for every kindness, shoulder to lean on, and gesture of support that I know will come in the hours and days ahead as we work together as a community to be there for one another.’
At least 229 school shootings have erupted this year, according to the K-12 School Shooting Database.
This is the first mass shooting to occur at an Ivy League university, akin to a Russell Group college in the UK.
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