‘Person of Interest’ Detained in Brown Shooting; Attack Occurred in Classroom of Judaic Studies Professor – RedState
Following a tip shared by the Providence Police Department, agents from the FBI’s Boston office and local law enforcement arrested a “person of interest” in Coventry, Rhode Island, in connection with Saturday’s shooting at Brown University that left two people dead and nine injured.
Officials held two news conferences Sunday; at the first they said the person of interest was in their 30s, but at the second they changed that to say they were in their 20s. Investigators declined to release the gender or race of that person.
🚨#UPDATE: A “person of interest” is in custody in the Brown University mass shooting, but police will not release his age, gender, race or motive.
This does not protect an investigation.
It’s protecting a story.Release the details.
The public deserves the truth. pic.twitter.com/xfyMNybgbh
– Brandon Tatum (@TheOfficerTatum) December 14, 2025
It is not yet known whether the person is affiliated with Brown University.
LEARN MORE: Video of Brown University shooting suspect released; 2 dead, 9 injured after campus shooting
FBI Director Kash Patel released a statement on X describing how the person was apprehended and the resources deployed by the FBI.
An update on the @FBI response to Brown University:@FBIBoston established a command post to host, develop and analyze leads, and execute them in the field.
We have activated the FBI’s Cellular Analysis Team to provide critical geolocation capabilities.
As a result, early… pic.twitter.com/KONDEbrduR
– FBI Director Kash Patel (@FBIDirectorKash) December 14, 2025
Patel wrote:
An update on the @FBI response to Brown University:
@FBIBoston has established a command post to host, develop, analyze and implement leads.
We have activated the FBI’s Cellular Analysis Team to provide critical geolocation capabilities.
As a result, early this morning the FBI Boston Safe Streets Task Force, with assistance from @USMarshalsHQ and @Coventry_RI_PD, arrested a person of interest in a hotel room in Coventry, RI, based on a lead from @ProvidenceRIPD.
We deployed local and national resources to treat and reconstruct the filming scene, providing HQ and laboratory elements on site.
We have established a digital media intake portal to ingest images and videos from the public related to this incident.
And FBI victim specialists are fully integrating with our partners to provide resources to victims and survivors of this horrific violence.
This FBI will continue an all-out campaign 24/7 until justice is fully served.
Thank you to the men and women of the FBI and our partners for their continued teamwork. Please continue to pray for the victims and their families, as well as everyone at Brown University.
Providence Mayor Brett Smiley said one of the nine injured has been released from the hospital, another is in critical but stable condition and seven are in stable condition, adding:
“Our two priorities last night were to bring the individual responsible to justice and that investigation is ongoing, although we have just provided a significant update. Secondly, our concern for the victims who, as I mentioned, are still – most of whom are still hospitalized. That remains our priority at this time.”
Brown student Ben Marcus was at Brown’s Hillel when the shooting occurred and said he spent the night “running back and forth between students and their dorms.” During an appearance on Fox & Friends, Marcus shared his experience.
“I was celebrating Shabbat… all of a sudden, it wasn’t over yet, the security guard jumped into action. He said, everyone, upstairs.
“None of us were on the phone. The Hillel building security officer jumped into action and said, ‘Everyone upstairs, this is really serious. There’s a shooter.’
“I actually lost a very good friend…I don’t think her name is public yet,” he said. But she was a really, really special person…truly incredible at creating interfaith dialogue and activities, and we will really miss her.”
🇺🇸 — WATCH: Jewish Brown University senior Ben Marcus was on Fox News and said he stayed up all night after the mass shooting, “shutting students back and forth to their dorms.”
“I was celebrating Shabbat… all of a sudden it wasn’t over yet, neither of us were on the phone,… pic.twitter.com/8cjNokjtQq
– Belaaz News (@TheBelaaz) December 14, 2025
According to an AP report, the shooter fired more than 40 rounds from a 9mm handgun.
“Armed with a handgun, the shooter fired more than 40 rounds of 9mm ammunition, according to a law enforcement official. As of Sunday morning, authorities had not recovered a weapon but recovered two magazines loaded with 30 rounds, said the official, who requested anonymity because he was not authorized to publicly discuss the investigation.”
The shooting occurred in the class of economics professor Rachel Friedberg, “whose research focuses on the intersection of economics and Jewish studies.” Friedberg was not in the classroom, which she described as a large auditorium with stadium seating, at the time; a teaching assistant was in the room while students reviewed material for the upcoming final.
Oh. The shooting happened in the classroom of Professor Rachel Friedberg… who is Jewish, part of the Judaic Studies program, and whose research focuses on the intersection of economics and Jewish studies?
This seems to be incredibly relevant. https://t.co/BFWCBkLsOe pic.twitter.com/BigBSx9L6i
-Amy Swearer (@AmySwearer) December 14, 2025
Currently, there is no indication that Friedberg was an intended target or that the shooter was motivated by anti-Semitism, but given the rise in anti-Semitic violence around the world, it is worth noting.
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