Authorities have confirmed that the suspect in last week’s mass shooting at Brown University has been found dead in a storage facility in Salem, New Hampshire, following a six-day multi-state manhunt.

The suspect has been identified as Claudio Neves Valente, 48, a Portuguese national who attended Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island, approximately 25 years ago. Providence Police Chief Oscar Perez confirmed that video evidence and tips from the public led investigators to a car-rental location where they matched the suspect’s name to the person of interest.

Connection to MIT Professor’s Death

Officials also believe Valente killed Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) professor Nuno F Gomes Loureiro, 47, two days after the Brown University shooting. Loureiro, who lived in Brookline, Massachusetts, was reportedly shot at his home. Both the suspect and the MIT professor had studied at the same university in Portugal in the late 1990s, suggesting a potential personal connection.

Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Neronha reported that Valente was found dead with a satchel and two firearms, and evidence in a nearby car matched the scene of the Brown University attack. Initial findings indicate that Valente died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound, though authorities have not disclosed how long he had been in the storage unit.

FBI Special Agent-in-Charge Ted Docks emphasized:

“Even though the suspect was found dead tonight, our work is not done. There are many questions that need to be answered.”

Approximately 500 FBI agents were deployed to assist local authorities during the investigation.

Details of the Brown University Shooting

The attack occurred at Brown University’s Barus & Holley engineering building during final exams last Saturday. Two students were killed and nine others were injured, with six remaining hospitalized.

The victims who died have been identified as:

• Ella Cook, 19, a sophomore from Alabama
• Mukhammad Aziz Umurzokov, 18, an Uzbek-American freshman

Authorities had previously released CCTV footage of a person of interest walking around the campus wearing a black mask. A $50,000 reward was offered by the FBI for information leading to the suspect’s identification, arrest, and conviction.

Brown University President Christina Paxson stated that Valente had no current active affiliation with the university and had studied for a PhD in physics from autumn 2000 to spring 2001.

Investigation and Public Response

Investigators linked the Brown University shooting to the MIT professor’s death through vehicle identification via CCTV footage and a witness report. Authorities noted that Valente had used a phone that obscured tracking and was “sophisticated in hiding his tracks,” according to Massachusetts state attorney Leah D. Foley.

Officials have not yet released any suspected motive for either attack. The investigation prompted frustration from the public in Rhode Island due to the apparent slow progress in the days following the Brown University shooting.