Police hunt Brown University male taking pictures suspect ‘sporting all black’ as gunman stays at giant

A person of interest has been taken into custody in connection with the mass shooting at Brown University that took place Saturday night. 

The unidentified male, said to be in his 30s, was taken into custody Sunday morning, according to police. 

The arrest comes after Rhode Island authorities launched an urgent manhunt for a male suspect ‘wearing all black’ as he turned the corner on Waterman Street. 

That same man was detained around 3am at a hotel in Coventry, according to CNN.  

The shooting left students killed and nine people injured in the horror shooting after the first 911 call reported shots fired at Brown’s engineering building at 4.05pm while students studied for an end of semester exam. 

By the time officers swept the scene, the suspect had fled through an exit, officials said. 

Investigators have not yet recovered any weapons used in the shooting, officials said at the press conference.  A source told the Associated Press investigators believe a handgun was used by the gunman. 

A heavy law enforcement response descended on the campus, and the Trump administration said FBI and ATF agents were on the scene. 

Terrified students at the Ivy League school were forced to shelter in place for hours overnight. That has now been lifted, as of 7am Sunday morning.

An unidentified male has been taken into custody as a person of interest in the Brown University shooting that took place Saturday afternoon in Rhode Island

The arrest comes after Rhode Island authorities launched an urgent manhunt for a male suspect ‘wearing all black’ as he turned the corner on Waterman Street. (Pictured: Police on campus Sunday morning) 

Mayor Smiley confirmed at a press conference at 7am on Sunday that there will be an enhanced police presence in Providence today for the ‘comfort and reassurance of our community’ as the investigation continues. 

He confirmed two lives were lost and nine people were injured. Smiley also said that tips from the local community were crucial in making the arrest Sunday morning. 

Smiley gave an update on the injured – confirming that seven are in stable condition, one is in critical but stable condition, and one has been discharged from hospital.

‘The people of Providence should breathe a little easier this morning,’ the mayor said, adding that he is confident to lift the shelter in place this morning.

The Mayor seemed to become emotional as he spoke on Sunday: ‘This is an incredibly upsetting and emotional time, for Providence, for Brown, for all of us.

‘This is not something we should have to train for.’

Providence Police Chief Col. Oscar Perez confirmed that the person they have in custody matches the brief description police gave of their suspected gunman – male, wearing all black, and possibly in his 30s. 

The first 911 call reported shots fired at Brown’s engineering building at 4.05pm while students studied for an end of semester exam

Two students were killed and nine people were injured in the horror shooting 

Perez did not go as far to call the detainee a suspect, but said that could not confirm many details, but he said that next, law enforcement will coordinate with prosecutors, collect evidence, conduct interviews and collect more details.

Police initially described the suspect as male, wearing all black and possibly in his 30’s. Perez did confirm that to be true of the person of interest who was detained.

Smiley said the gunman ‘walked right into’ the building because doors were left unlocked for students taking the tests. 

It was during this getaway that investigators captured the chilling surveillance footage showing the suspect walking briskly away from the carnage left behind. 

Hours after the shooting took place, terrified students remained in lockdown as images surfaced on social media showing barricaded doors while the gunman remained on the loose. 

Witnesses told WJAR that a huge law enforcement response descended on the scene, and they saw first responders performing CPR on at least three victims. 

Images showed students sheltering in place as the Brown University campus was plunged into lockdown 

Hours after the shooting took place, terrified students remained in lockdown as images surfaced on social media showing barricaded doors while the gunman remained on the loose

‘I started seeing a bunch of cars going towards the scene and I saw someone on the ground, unfortunately. It looked like they were getting CPR,’ said Providence resident Jib Daya. 

‘I saw about two people getting carried away on the stretcher.’ 

Daya said the Brown campus area is known as a quiet, safe community, and hoped such a tragedy would ‘never come’ to those affected. 

‘Now it’s over here… it’s very scary because I don’t want to get harmed and I don’t want my people in my state to get harmed,’ he said.