Authorities say the man tied to two campus-area killings died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound after a multi-state manhunt.
PROVIDENCE, R.I. — A former Brown University student suspected in a mass shooting that killed two people on campus and the slaying of an MIT physics professor was found dead Thursday night inside a storage facility in Salem, N.H., ending a four-day manhunt across New England, officials said.
Investigators identified the suspect as Claudio Manuel Neves Valente, 48, a Portuguese national who briefly studied physics at Brown more than two decades ago. Authorities said Valente is believed to be the gunman who opened fire at Brown earlier this week, killing two students and injuring nine others, and who later shot and killed MIT physicist Nuno F. G. Loureiro at his home near Boston. Police chiefs in Providence and Brookline said detectives had tracked Valente’s movements through vehicle records, rental paperwork and tips, while federal agents assisted with forensics and interstate leads. The discovery in New Hampshire closed the immediate search but left key questions about motive and planning unresolved.
Police described a fast-moving investigation that started after gunfire erupted on the Brown campus. Officers and medics responded within minutes and began canvassing for surveillance footage and witnesses. Two students — identified by school officials as sophomore Ella Cook and first-year student MukhammadAziz Umurzokov — died from their injuries. Nine others were treated at area hospitals. Providence Police Chief Oscar Perez said a released photo and description prompted crucial tips. “People recognized what they saw and called us,” Perez said. Detectives soon focused on Valente, who had been seen on or near campus earlier this month. Two days after the Brown shooting, Loureiro, a prominent plasma physicist with ties to Portugal and MIT, was found shot inside his Brookline home. The overlapping academic circles between Valente and Loureiro drew immediate scrutiny.
Officials said evidence tying the incidents included witness accounts, images of a rented car, and records showing Valente switching license plates registered in several states while traveling north. Investigators recovered shell casings and other ballistic material; testing is ongoing, and police did not release the caliber of the weapon. Authorities emphasized that there is no indication of additional suspects. Providence Mayor Brett Smiley said some campus cameras did not capture the shooter’s face clearly, complicating early work. In Massachusetts, Brookline police coordinated with state police and the district attorney’s office as federal agents joined the case. Late Thursday, New Hampshire authorities responding to a tip found Valente inside a storage unit with an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound. Officials said he was alone. The New Hampshire medical examiner will conduct an autopsy to confirm the cause and time of death. Investigators have not detailed how Valente obtained the firearm.
Records show Valente studied at Brown from 2000 to 2001 and later lived intermittently in the United States, most recently in Florida. Loureiro, who was widely published in plasma turbulence and fusion research, earned degrees at Instituto Superior Técnico in Lisbon before joining MIT’s faculty. Detectives in both states are reviewing academic and personal ties between the men in Portugal and the U.S. Authorities also noted earlier missteps in the fast-moving hunt, including the detention and release of an early person of interest who was later cleared. Snow the morning after the Brown shooting hampered the collection of physical evidence on sidewalks and steps. Brown officials said counselors and academic accommodations were in place as finals week was disrupted and campus patrols increased. The university plans a vigil honoring the victims.
Police in Providence and Brookline outlined next steps that include full ballistic comparisons, digital forensics of devices recovered from the storage facility, and timeline reconstruction from toll readers and rental records. Prosecutors said no charges will be filed posthumously but case files will be completed, including formal findings on the two homicides and the nine nonfatal shootings. A joint briefing is expected today in Providence, with a separate update scheduled by Massachusetts officials. Brown’s administration said it would review building access and camera coverage. MIT said faculty and students will gather to remember Loureiro, with service details to be announced after coordination with his family and colleagues.
On College Hill, students left flowers and handwritten notes outside the building where shots were fired. “We didn’t know if it was over,” said junior Maya Thompson, who sheltered with classmates as police swept adjacent halls. Outside Loureiro’s street in Brookline, neighbors described the block as quiet. “He walked to campus most mornings,” said Robert Klein, who lives two doors away. In Salem, police tape ringed the storage facility overnight as investigators carried out paper bags and hard cases. “It’s the best possible end to a terrible week,” said Rhode Island Gov. Dan McKee, praising cooperation across three states. Faculty who taught the two Brown victims recalled their “energy and kindness” in brief remarks shared by the university.
The active manhunt has ended, but investigators said they still need laboratory results and device analyses to close the files. Officials plan to release additional records and a final investigative summary in coming days, with the next briefing expected Friday afternoon. Funeral plans for the victims are pending.
Author note: Last updated December 19, 2025.