SALEM, N.H. (FN) — The suspect in last week’s deadly shooting at Brown University was found dead Thursday in New Hampshire, ending a six-day manhunt that spanned multiple states and involved federal and local law enforcement.
Authorities identified the suspect as Claudio Manuel Neves Valente, 48, originally from Portugal. Police said Valente died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound inside a storage facility in Salem, about 40 miles north of Boston. Officials said there is no ongoing public threat.
Valente was wanted in connection with the Dec. 13 shooting at Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island, where two people were killed and nine others wounded. The attack shocked the Ivy League campus and raised urgent questions about safety in higher education.
Two days later, on Dec. 15, investigators believe Valente shot and killed MIT professor Nuno F. Gomes Loureiro, 47, at his home in Brookline, Massachusetts. Brookline is about 50 miles (80 kilometers) from Providence. Police said both men had studied at the same university in Portugal in the late 1990s, suggesting a possible personal connection.
Loureiro was a respected researcher at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, known internationally for his work in physics and engineering. His death has left colleagues and students devastated. MIT officials issued statements of grief and solidarity, calling his loss a tragedy for the academic community.
Law enforcement agencies, including the FBI, coordinated a multi-state search for Valente after the Brown University shooting. Investigators tracked his movements with the help of public tips, including a Reddit post that identified his vehicle. Despite the rapid spread of information, Valente managed to evade capture until his death.
Brown University confirmed that Valente had been enrolled in its Ph.D. program in physics between 2000 and 2001 but had no current affiliation with the institution. University officials emphasized that the attack was carried out by someone with no ties to the present student body or faculty.
The twin tragedies have shaken two of America’s most prestigious academic institutions. Students and faculty at both Brown and MIT are grappling with grief, fear and unanswered questions. Security has been heightened across campuses, and counseling services have been made available to those affected.
Officials said the investigation continues into Valente’s motives and connections. For the international academic community, the case serves as a grim reminder of the vulnerabilities faced by universities worldwide and the importance of vigilance in protecting spaces of learning.
