Timeline Emerges in Brown and MIT Shootings as Investigators Trace Movements of Suspected Gunman

In the wake of a weekend of violence that left communities in Rhode Island and Massachusetts reeling, law enforcement officials have released a detailed sequence of events tied to the actions of the suspected gunman, identified as Claudio Manuel Neves Valente. At 48 years old, Valente, a Portuguese national and former student, is believed to have carried out a mass shooting at Brown University before fatally shooting a professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Authorities later found him dead of a self-inflicted gunshot wound in a storage facility in Salem, New Hampshire, following a multi-state manhunt.

Officials have been careful to note that the motive behind the attacks remains unclear. What investigators have assembled instead is a working timeline, constructed from surveillance footage, rental records, public tips, and physical evidence recovered across several locations. The chronology provides structure to an otherwise fragmented series of events, even as critical questions remain unanswered.

Valente’s documented connection to the United States dates back more than two decades. In the fall of 2000, he entered the country on a student visa and enrolled in Brown University’s graduate physics program. He remained enrolled through the spring of 2001, later taking a leave of absence and formally withdrawing in 2003 without completing a degree. University officials have confirmed those records, emphasizing that Valente had no formal affiliation with Brown in the years that followed.

Investigators have also confirmed a shared academic history between Valente and Nuno F.G. Loureiro, the MIT professor later killed in Brookline, Massachusetts. Both men attended the Instituto Superior Técnico in Portugal during the mid-1990s, where they studied physics. Loureiro went on to an accomplished academic career, eventually joining the MIT faculty and becoming a recognized researcher in nuclear fusion. Authorities have acknowledged the shared background but have stopped short of attributing motive to that connection.

In the weeks preceding the shootings, Valente’s movements began to draw attention. Records show that he rented a hotel room in Boston in late November, remaining there into early December. On December 1, he rented a gray Nissan Sentra in Boston, a vehicle later identified through surveillance footage in and around Providence, Rhode Island.

Eyewitness accounts and campus security footage placed Valente near Brown University’s Barus & Holley building in the days leading up to the attack. That building houses physics classrooms and laboratories. A university custodian later reported seeing an individual matching Valente’s description inside the building on November 28 and again on December 1. At the time, nothing about the encounter appeared overtly threatening.

The first act of violence occurred on Saturday, December 13. Investigators believe Valente entered a lecture hall at Brown University during a student study session and opened fire. Two students, 19-year-old Ella Cook and 18-year-old Mukhammad Aziz Umurzokov, were killed. Nine others were injured and transported to local hospitals. University officials immediately suspended classes and initiated emergency protocols as state and federal authorities responded.

After the Brown shooting, Valente is believed to have driven north into Massachusetts. On Monday, December 15, police responded to reports of gunfire at a residence in Brookline. Inside, they found MIT professor Nuno Loureiro fatally wounded. Authorities have not disclosed whether any direct interaction occurred between Loureiro and Valente immediately before the shooting, focusing instead on establishing Valente’s movements and access.

The investigation widened after the Brookline killing, with law enforcement agencies coordinating across state lines. Attention eventually turned to a storage facility in Salem, New Hampshire, where Valente had rented a unit in November. On Thursday evening, officers located him inside the facility. He was found dead from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound. Two firearms and personal belongings were recovered at the scene. Officials stated that, based on available evidence, Valente acted alone.

Public tips played a role in narrowing the search. At least one individual who encountered a man resembling the suspect contacted authorities, helping investigators connect vehicle records, rental agreements, and surveillance footage across jurisdictions. Law enforcement officials credited that cooperation with accelerating the conclusion of the manhunt.

Despite the growing clarity around what happened and when, authorities have repeatedly emphasized that the “why” remains unresolved. Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Neronha acknowledged that investigators have not yet determined why Brown University, its students, or Professor Loureiro were targeted. Evidence continues to be reviewed, including digital records and personal effects recovered from the suspect.

For the affected institutions, the focus has shifted to recovery and reflection. University leaders have emphasized support for students, faculty, and families while cooperating fully with ongoing investigations. As officials continue to examine the timeline, they have urged patience, underscoring that careful, methodical work — rather than speculation — will determine what lessons, if any, can be drawn from these events.

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