On December 13, 2025, two individuals were killed, and nine others were injured in a shooting at Brown University. The shooting took place at the Barus and Holley building, which is used for engineering lectures and labs. At the time, students were taking final exams. The first 911 call was reported at 4:05 p.m., and Providence emergency responders were dispatched to the scene. By 4:22 p.m., Brown released its first emergency alert. At 5:27 p.m., reports of a second shooting came out, but the university confirmed that they were unfounded less than an hour later. The school remained under a shelter-in-place order for multiple hours. An initial suspect was taken into custody but was released after being cleared. As of Monday, December 15, a suspect had not yet been found, but new photos of a person of interest had emerged. The FBI posted a $50,000 reward for intel that might lead to identification. Schools across Providence were closed, and the FBI assisted the Providence Police Department in the search for the suspected shooter. In the following days, a map was released of the suspect’s potential location in the hours prior to and following the shooting. On that same day, a Reddit post about a suspicious vehicle reached the police, ultimately leading to the vehicle’s tracking. The day after, the shooter was found deceased in a New Hampshire storage facility with two guns on his body.

Violence in schools has long been an issue. The Sandy Hook Promise, an organization formed after the 2012 school shooting in Newton, Connecticut, reports that in the past 25 years, more than 390,000 children in the United States have experienced gun violence at school. In 2025 alone, there have already been at least 75 shootings at schools, with 43 taking place on a college campus. 31 people have been killed, and over 100 others have been injured, as per CNN. Since 2008, school shootings have increased in prevalence with each year, with only a few exceptions. As stated by The New York Times, one Brown student previously survived a shooting at her high school in 2019. Tragically, the day following the Brown University shooting was the thirteenth anniversary of the shooting that occurred at Sandy Hook Elementary School.

The shooting at Brown University has joined a growing list of shootings at college campuses. In April of 2007, 32 people were shot and killed at Virginia Tech. In the ensuing 18 years, multiple college shootings ended with students dead and others severely injured. Despite the advocacy groups that have been created following school shootings, little has been done to prevent tragedies from occurring again. However, groups like March for Our Lives, founded by survivors of the 2018 Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting, helped to pass the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, which includes advanced background checks and increased funds for community violence intervention. Progress is desperately needed, both in legislation and in cultural norms, to combat and end gun violence, but advocacy is the first step forward. By raising awareness on gun violence, both in school and out of school, young people can be active participants in making real-world change. Plenty of well-known organizations are available online, and resources for advocacy are often listed. 

What you should do in the event of a school shooting:

1. Call 911 if it is safe to do so.
2. If you are in a hallway, go into the nearest open room and secure the door.
3. Turn lights off, lock doors, barricade entrances, and don’t make noise (this includes turning the ringer on your phone off).
4. If you can evacuate, leave your belongings behind and help others to safety (if it is safe to do so).
5. Do not move wounded people.
6. If you are unable to hide or evacuate, attempt to incapacitate the shooter. 

When law enforcement arrives, you should…

1. Follow officers’ instructions
2. Raise your hands
3. Avoid loud noises
4. Avoid making quick movements that could be perceived as a threat

While it is scary to think about school shootings occurring, knowing how to protect yourself and others is extremely important. You never know when your safety will be compromised, and understanding how to proceed can and will save lives.