Gun violence strikes again at the heart of a college campus in the United States. At Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island, one of the oldest and most prestigious Ivy League universitiesa shooting left two people dead and several students and members of the academic community injured. The attack occurred as the university was immersed in final exams, turning an afternoon of studying into a scene of terror and chaos. The man who opened fire managed to escape and, hours after the incident, is still wanted by the police.
According to initial reconstructions, the shots rang out in the late afternoon inside a building that houses classrooms and scientific departments. Witnesses spoke of shots suddenly exploding, of screams, of students seeking refuge by locking themselves in classrooms or fleeing outside in panic. In a few minutes the campus was isolated, with the police activating the protocol due to the presence of an “active shooter” and the university sending emergency messages inviting everyone to take cover.
The toll, still provisional, speaks of two victims who died on the spot and numerous injuries, some of whom are in critical conditions. Those affected were rushed to hospitals in the area, while rescuers worked under the protection of the police. The local authorities specified that not all the wounded would have been hit directly by bullets: some may have suffered trauma during the escape or in the frenetic moments following the shots.
The manhunt began immediately. Dozens of patrols, special units and federal agents combed the campus and surrounding areas, analyzing images from security cameras and collecting testimonies from those who were on site. The suspect, still described in a generic way, fled on foot immediately after the attack. The authorities invited the population to collaborate and report any useful information, while the city of Providence remained on high alert for hours.
Meanwhile, university life has stopped. Classes and exams were suspended, buildings were closed and thousands of students spent hours waiting in dormitories or in safe places, seeking news of their classmates and reassurance for their families. Brown University expressed deep condolences for the victims, calling the incident a tragedy that affects the entire academic community, and announced the activation of psychological support services for students, faculty and staff.
The episode forcefully reopens the debate on gun violence in the United States and safety on university campuses. In recent years, schools and universities have increasingly become the scene of shootings, fueling a climate of fear that contrasts dramatically with the idea of the university as a place of growth, discussion and freedom.. Even in this case, the speed of the intervention of the police was not enough to avoid the loss of human lives, leaving open profound questions about the causes and responsibilities.
Messages of condolence and closeness to the families of the victims arrived from politics. The president of the United States expressed sorrow for what happened and urged us not to forget those affected, without however announcing immediate interventions on the arms control front. A silence which, for many observers, reflects the now chronic impasse in the face of a phenomenon that continues to claim victims.
As the investigation continues to clarify the attacker’s motive and identity, the Brown University community prepares for days of mourning and reflection. In a country marked by a long trail of blood, this tragedy also risks being added to an already too long listleaving open a wound that goes far beyond the confines of the Providence campus.
