In a startling turn of events, authorities confirmed that the man suspected of the Brown University shooting had died two days before his body was discovered in a New Hampshire storage facility.
The Discovery
Claudio Neves Valente, 48, was found dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound on Thursday night, Providence police chief Col. Oscar Perez announced. An autopsy revealed that Valente had died on Tuesday, the same day his countryman, MIT professor Nuno F.G. Loureiro, was taken to a hospital in Boston.
Timeline of Events
The chain of incidents began last Saturday when Valente, a former Brown graduate student, opened fire in an engineering lecture hall, killing two students and wounding nine others. On Monday night, he allegedly shot Loureiro at his Brookline, Massachusetts home. Investigators say Valente’s death was unrelated to the shooting, but the timing has tied the two tragedies together.
Investigative Leads
A crucial tip from a person who had encountered Valente hours before the Brown attack led authorities to a Nissan Sentra with Florida plates. The vehicle was tracked via Providence’s street-camera network, revealing Valente’s movements from Rhode Island to New Hampshire. The suspect later placed a Maine license plate over the rental car’s plate to conceal his identity.
Connections to Portugal
Both Valente and Loureiro attended the same physics program at Instituto Superior Técnico in Portugal between 1995 and 2000. Loureiro graduated in 2000, while Valente was terminated from a temporary liaison position at the Lisbon university that same year. Valente entered the U.S. on a student visa, eventually becoming a legal permanent resident in September 2017.
Official Statements
New Hampshire Attorney General John Formella’s office noted that Valente had been dead for two days when found. Portugal’s foreign minister, Paulo Rangel, said the government was “taken aback” by the revelations and had provided “very broad cooperation.” Rangel added that the investigation was “far from over.”
Brown University President Christina Paxson clarified that Valente had no current affiliation with the university, though he was a former student. Massachusetts Attorney Leah B. Foley highlighted that Valente and Loureiro had been classmates in Portugal.
Victims
The Brown victims were 19-year-old Ella Cook, vice president of the Brown College Republicans, and 18-year-old MukhammadAziz Umurzokov, a freshman aspiring to be a doctor. Six of the wounded remained in stable condition, while three had been discharged by Thursday.
Loureiro, 47, was a physicist and fusion scientist who joined MIT in 2016 and led the Plasma Science and Fusion Center. He had been researching solar flare physics and other astronomical phenomena.
Unanswered Questions
Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Neronha emphasized that motive remains unclear, noting that investigators do not know why Valente targeted Brown, the students, or the classroom. The FBI has stated it knows of no links between the Rhode Island and Massachusetts shootings.
Key Takeaways
- Claudio Neves Valente, a former Brown student, was found dead in New Hampshire two days after the Brown shooting.
- Valente’s death coincided with the death of MIT professor Nuno F.G. Loureiro, who was shot at his home.
- A tip from an individual who saw Valente in a bathroom led investigators to a Nissan Sentra and ultimately to Valente’s body.
The case remains under active investigation, with authorities continuing to piece together Valente’s motives and the connections between the two violent incidents.
