Presidential Criticism Over Campus Security
President Donald Trump took aim at Brown University on Wednesday, questioning why the campus didn't have more security cameras available to investigators. The criticism came after the FBI faced backlash for arresting someone in connection with the fatal shooting, only to release that person when evidence proved insufficient.
Trump didn't hold back on Truth Social, writing: "Why did Brown University have so few Security Cameras?" He added, "There can be no excuse for that. In the modern age, it just doesn't get worse!!!"
Brown University wasn't having it. Spokesperson Brian Clark responded with a statement shared with CNN, explaining that the university actually operates "an expansive network of security cameras" with more than 1,200 installed across both interior and exterior campus locations.
Clark emphasized that cameras are strategically positioned in high-traffic areas and at building entry and exit points. However, he noted they don't blanket "every hallway, classroom, laboratory and office" across more than 250 buildings. He also pointed out that revealing specific camera placements would create security vulnerabilities.
Manhunt Intensifies in New Hampshire
Meanwhile, the investigation is heating up. Police have identified a suspect in last weekend's mass shooting at Brown University, according to a person familiar with the investigation who spoke with Reuters. Authorities are also exploring a potential connection to the murder of an MIT professor that occurred two days after the campus attack.
SWAT officers and law enforcement teams descended on a storage facility in Salem, New Hampshire, as investigators chased down leads. Despite the intense activity, authorities haven't announced an arrest or publicly named the suspect.
The shooting at Brown killed two students and left nine others wounded. Providence Mayor Brett Smiley captured the mood, saying the ongoing manhunt has left the city "restless and eager" for an arrest.
MIT Professor's Death Under Investigation
The plot thickened when MIT professor Nuno F.G. Loureiro was fatally shot at his Brookline, Massachusetts home two days after the Brown University attack. Loureiro worked at MIT's Plasma Science and Fusion Center, according to The Associated Press.
Here's where things get interesting: Earlier this week, an FBI official told Reuters that investigators didn't believe the two cases were connected. Now authorities are walking that back, reviewing new information that suggests there might be a link after all.
Providence police said the masked shooter escaped on foot into surrounding streets after the campus attack. With limited surveillance footage available from the immediate area, investigators have been piecing together the timeline using residential security cameras from nearby homes.
Police released images and video of a man they believe carried out the attack, asking the public to help identify him. Providence Police Chief Oscar Perez told Reuters on Wednesday, "He could be anywhere." Authorities also circulated photos of another man spotted near the scene, saying they want to speak with him as a potential witness.