Who was Claudio Manuel Neves-Valente? Brown University shooting suspect found dead, say police

Brown University Shooting Suspect: A massive update has surfaced in the Brown University shooting: the man believed to be behind a mass shooting at Brown University that left two people dead and wounded several others has been found dead, officials announced Thursday (December 18, 2025).

The suspect was identified by Providence police chief Oscar Perez, who told reporters that the suspect was a 48-year-old Portuguese national and "He took his own life tonight," as quoted by AFP. The Brown shooting occurred on December 13 inside a classroom building, killing two students and wounding at least eight others. Fox News reported that the suspect was identified as Claudio Manuel Neves-Valente, according to the FBI.

Who was Claudio Manuel Neves-Valente

Claudio Manuel Neves-Valente was a Portuguese national. His body was believed to be discovered in a storage unit in Salem, New Hampshire, about 20 miles (30 ‌km) north of ‌downtown Boston, according to Reuters. A large contingent of law enforcement officers descended on the area on Thursday night in an action related to the Brown University investigation. Two other federal officials also confirmed the suspected Brown shooter was dead.


One Department of Justice official, ‌who spoke to Reuters on condition of anonymity as they were not authorized to discuss the matter, said the suspected shooter had killed himself. The Reuters sources did not provide more details on the identification of the suspect or why investigators think the two cases may be linked.

Brown University President Christina Paxson said Valente was enrolled at Brown from the fall of 2000 to the spring of 2001. He was admitted to the graduate school to study physics beginning in September 2000. “He has no current affiliation with the university,” she said, as quoted by AP.

Investigators believe Valente is responsible for both the shooting at Brown and the killing of a Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) professor who was fatally shot in his Brookline home Monday, a law enforcement official told The Associated Press. Authorities have not formally confirmed a connection between the two shootings. The official could not publicly discuss details of the ongoing investigation and spoke to AP on condition of anonymity.

Cops released images and video of suspect

Police released images and video of a masked man believed to be the shooter, based on survivor ‍accounts, and have ⁠repeatedly asked for the public's help ⁠in identifying him.

According to the footage, the suspect was walking in a nearby neighborhood both before and immediately after the attack, including moments when police vehicles arrived with flashing lights, Reuters reported. “He could be anywhere,” Providence Police Chief Oscar Perez said on Wednesday (December 17, 2025), adding that authorities did not initially know the suspect’s identity or motive.

ALSO READ: Brown University shooting suspect found dead after days-long manhunt; two firearms recovered at scene

Police also circulated photos of another unidentified man seen near the area, saying they wanted to speak with him as a potential witness who may have relevant information. Authorities initially announced a person was in custody a day after the shooting but later released that individual after determining he was not involved.