Police are investigating a potential connection between the Saturday shooting at Brown University and the Monday killing of an MIT professor in his home, based on information that has emerged in the last 24 hours.
Multiple people familiar with the investigation told several outlets that federal, state, and local authorities are now examining evidence that the two crimes, which took place less than 50 miles apart, may be linked, marking a significant shift in both stalled investigations.
The violence began Saturday afternoon when an unidentified gunman killed two Brown University students — Ella Cook and Mukhammad Aziz Umurzokov — and injured nine others after opening fire inside Brown’s Barus & Holley engineering building.
48 hours later, an assailant shot MIT professor Nuno Loureiro multiple times inside his Brookline, Massachusetts, home.
Authorities have yet to identify suspects in either case, and initially stated in a Tuesday press briefing that there “seems to be no connection” between the two shootings.
Providence police and the FBI have steadily released images and video depicting two persons of interest walking the streets around Brown University before and after the shooting, asking the public for any information to identify them.
ENHANCED VIDEO: We are releasing an enhanced video of the person of interest in the Brown University incident. Footage was captured on the East Side of Providence on Saturday afternoon before the incident.
Please share widely and contact the official tip line if you have… pic.twitter.com/mewBSflOiO
— Providence Police (@ProvidenceRIPD) December 16, 2025
Surveillance footage from Brown University captured the alleged shooting suspect — wearing a dark jacket, mask, and hat — walking around campus for hours before the attack around 4 p.m. Saturday. Multiple law enforcement agencies have expanded their search for video evidence, releasing a new map that widens the area of interest around the university.
A second person of interest was identified on Wednesday, depicted wearing a blue jacket and green hood, carrying a white satchel in the area of the shooting.
ENHANCED PHOTO: Investigators are asking for the public’s help in identifying and speaking to the individual shown in this photo who was in proximity of the person of interest.
Anyone with information is urged to contact the tip line at 401-272-3121. pic.twitter.com/D1reRPCdZV
— Providence Police (@ProvidenceRIPD) December 17, 2025
Authorities urge anyone with information about either incident to contact law enforcement immediately at 401-272-3121.
#BREAKING: The FBI and @ProvidenceRIPD are releasing new images of a person of interest in the mass shooting at Brown University on 12/13/25. The #FBI is offering a reward of up to $50,000 for information leading to the identification, arrest, and conviction of the individual.… pic.twitter.com/OhpnsN9fds
— FBI Boston (@FBIBoston) December 15, 2025
