Brown University reports two dead, eight injured in US school shooting

Mayor Brett Smiley of Providence, Rhode Island, has confirmed that two people have been killed and eight more are critically injured after an active shooter was reported on the campus of Brown University.

Exams were under way on Saturday when the shooting began on the Ivy League campus in the United States.

The suspect remains at large, according to Rhode Island officials. They described the suspect as a man dressed in black who left the scene on foot, and they added that no weapons had been recovered.

At a news conference, Smiley said that university leaders became aware of the shooting at about 4:05pm local time (21:05 GMT), when a 911 call was received by emergency responders.

“I can confirm that there are two individuals who have died this afternoon, and there are another eight in critical status, though stable, at Rhode Island Hospital,” Smiley said.

“Those are the only injuries or casualties that we know at this time,” he added. “ But as I mentioned – and it’s important to remind folks – these numbers may change. We are still in the early hours.”

Smiley declined to identify the shooting victims, emphasising that the investigation was ongoing.

“This is a day that we hoped never would come to our community. It is deeply devastating for all of us,” the university’s president, Christina Paxton, said in a written statement.

She called on the campus to remain vigilant and adhere to its lockdown protocol. “This means keeping all doors locked and ensuring no movement across campus.”