Claudio Manuel Neves Valente, a 48-year-old former graduate student at Brown University and a Portuguese national, has been identified as the suspect in a shooting that occurred on December 13, 2025, at the university, resulting in the deaths of two students and injuries to nine others. Authorities reported that Valente died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound in a storage unit in Salem, New Hampshire.

The investigation gained momentum following an anonymous tip received on December 16, which referenced a Reddit post suggesting that police investigate a grey Nissan with Florida plates seen near Brown's campus. This vehicle was later confirmed to be a rental associated with Valente. Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Neronha stated that the information from the Reddit post significantly advanced the case.

Valente is also believed to have killed Nuno F.G. Loureiro, a 47-year-old physics professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, on December 15, 2025. Initially, the FBI indicated there was no known connection between the two incidents, but subsequent investigations linked Valente to both acts of gun violence. It was noted that Valente and Loureiro attended the same Portuguese university during the late 1990s.

The shooting at Brown University took place in a classroom during final exams, prompting a community response that highlighted the need for safety and support in educational environments. Brown University President Christina Paxson confirmed that Valente had been a student at the institution from fall 2000 to spring 2001 but had not graduated.

The victims of the shooting included Muhammad Aziz Umurzakov, a first-year student from Virginia, and Ella Cook, a sophomore from Alabama. Both were described as promising individuals whose lives were tragically cut short. The nine injured students are reported to be in stable condition.

The investigation continues as authorities seek to understand the motives behind Valente's actions and the broader implications of gun violence in educational settings.