Police in Rhode Island have released a man who was earlier identified as a person of interest in the mass shooting at Brown University that left two students dead.
Providence Police Chief Oscar Perez said on Sunday evening that the man was freed from custody after investigators found no evidence linking him to the attack. Authorities confirmed that he is no longer considered a person of interest.
Police are now searching again for the real suspect, who is still on the run. Investigators say the shooter was seen wearing all black and running through a street in Providence around the time of the attack, according to surveillance video shared with the public.
Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Neronha declined to explain why the man was released but said the investigation is ongoing. Providence Mayor Brett Smiley reassured residents that there is no immediate threat to public safety.
Officials said tracking the suspect has been difficult due to limited security cameras inside the building where the shooting occurred. Neronha said all campus surveillance footage has been reviewed, but none clearly showed the suspect’s face.
“If we had clear video of the suspect’s face, we would have shared it,” Neronha said.
The shooting happened at about 4 p.m. on Saturday, December 13, when a masked gunman carrying a rifle entered a building on the Brown University campus and opened fire in a hallway. He later entered a classroom where about 60 students were attending a study session for an economics exam.
Witnesses told police that the attacker shouted something unclear before opening fire on students.
Two students were killed, while nine others were injured. One of the injured students remains in critical condition.
Following the attack, Brown University canceled all remaining exams for the semester and advised students still on campus to return home for winter break.
“For now, we encourage everyone to focus on their safety and well-being,” Brown University President Francis J. Doyle III said in a message to students.
Police say the search for the killer continues.
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