Suspect Linked to Brown Shooting and MIT Professor’s Death Found Dead

PROVIDENCE :  A multi-state manhunt for a gunman suspected of carrying out a mass shooting at Brown University and the subsequent murder of a prominent MIT professor has ended. A law enforcement official confirmed to The Associated Press that the suspect was found dead in a New Hampshire storage facility on Thursday evening.

The discovery concludes a week of mounting tension and fear across elite Northeast campuses. While authorities have not yet formally announced the connection on the record, investigators believe the individual is responsible for the Saturday shooting at Brown University and the killing of 47-year-old physicist Nuno F.G. Loureiro in Brookline, Massachusetts, two days later.

The spree began last Saturday when a masked attacker entered a classroom in Brown University’s engineering building. The gunman opened fire, killing two students and wounding nine others before escaping the campus.

Forty-eight hours later, Professor Nuno F.G. Loureiro—an esteemed physicist and fusion scientist who led MIT’s Plasma Science and Fusion Centre—was gunned down in his home in the Boston suburb of Brookline. Loureiro died at a hospital the following day.

Authorities have scoured the area for evidence and pleaded with the public to check any phone or security footage they might have from the week before the attack.

While the FBI initially stated there were no known links between the cases, the investigation shifted as evidence mounted. Three sources familiar with the matter indicated that a “person of interest” had been identified shortly before the body was discovered in New Hampshire.

Providence and Brookline authorities faced significant pressure during the week-long search. Despite the presence of 1,200 cameras on the Brown campus, the shooter managed to evade clear identification by utilizing masks and exploiting a “blind spot” in an older section of the engineering building.

Surveillance clips released during the week showed the suspect running along streets just off-campus, but always with his face obscured or turned away from lenses. Investigators described the suspect as approximately 173 centimeters (5’8″) tall with a stocky build.

As the investigation closes, the MIT community continues to mourn Professor Loureiro. A native of Portugal, Loureiro was a globally recognized mentor and leader in nuclear science. “He shone a bright light as a mentor, friend, and leader,” said colleague Dennis Whyte.

Law enforcement officials speaking on condition of anonymity stated that there is currently no evidence suggesting the victims were specifically targeted, and the motive remains under investigation.