A MARTÍNEZ, HOST:
A person of interest who had been detained following a deadly shooting at Brown University is being released.
STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:
Two students were killed and nine others injured in Saturday's attack at a building where students had been preparing for exams. In a moment, we'll speak with Homeland Security expert Juliette Kayyem, whose daughter is a Brown alum. We begin with the facts.
MARTÍNEZ: Reporter Paul C. Kelly Campos of Ocean State Media has been covering the story. Joins us now from Providence. Paul, what is known about the person of interest and what changed with that person?
PAUL C KELLY CAMPOS, BYLINE: Well, he had been detained Sunday morning at a hotel in the town of Coventry, Rhode Island, which is about 17 miles outside of Providence. But late last night, Mayor Brett Smiley said that they had the wrong person, and he is due to be released. Rhode Island's attorney general, Peter Neronha, also explained last night that following a detailed analysis of the evidence, there was no basis to consider him a person of interest.
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PETER NERONHA: This is what these investigations look like. I've been around long enough to know that sometimes you head in one direction, and then you have to regroup and go in another. And that's exactly what has happened over the last 24 hours or so.
KELLY CAMPOS: Providence Police Chief Oscar Perez is asking residents to share any potential leads or security cam footage that could help find the suspect at large. The suspect was able to escape after shooting multiple people in a classroom. Attorney General Neronha said that he's been in contact with FBI's director, Kash Patel, about the person of interest to be released.
MARTÍNEZ: OK. What's known about the victims?
KELLY CAMPOS: Well, Mayor Smiley did not share the names of the victims at yesterday's press conferences, as he said that some of the families or relations of the victims have not yet been notified or been made aware of the situation because of holiday travel. Smiley said that he spoke with some of the wounded yesterday.
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BRETT SMILEY: One individual has been discharged. One individual remains in critical but stable condition, and the other seven are in stable condition.
KELLY CAMPOS: The mayor said that the city will offer people mental health programs and trauma response resources.
MARTÍNEZ: How are people in Providence, Rhode Island, reacting?
KELLY CAMPOS: The community's been rattled by the shooting. A Christmas tree and menorah lighting ceremony that had already been scheduled at a nearby park in Providence yesterday evening shifted to being a memorial for the shooting victims. Angie Jo (ph) is a Providence resident whose sister goes to Brown.
ANGIE JO: Just shock and so much sadness that - you know, it really shouldn't be this way.
KELLY CAMPOS: Brown is nestled in the middle of a residential community. Yesterday, as I walked through the campus, I observed students embracing and supporting each other as I passed by. Every single person I talked to was tearful. Many were visibly distraught, shaken and deeply frustrated. Brown University med student Anh Nguyen (ph) said he was in the middle of exams when the lockdown order came in.
ANH NGUYEN: Unfortunately, this is, like, the second school shooting that I've been to. My last one was at my undergrad. And I feel like something this unimaginable is happening way too often.
MARTÍNEZ: Paul, you mentioned earlier this is happening during finals at Brown. What is going to happen with that?
KELLY CAMPOS: For the time being, Brown has canceled all final exams. And late last night, authorities said they were starting to collect and look into new leads and evidence. Mayor Smiley also stated that people in Providence should expect to see an increased police presence in the coming days. But he insisted that he does not believe residents are in danger.
MARTÍNEZ: OK. Reporter Paul C. Kelly Campos of our member station Ocean State Media in Providence. Paul, thank you.
KELLY CAMPOS: Thank you. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
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