Salem, New Hampshire — The man suspected of carrying out a mass shooting at Brown University and the subsequent killing of a Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) professor was found dead late Thursday in a storage facility in Salem, New Hampshire from an apparently self-inflicted gunshot wound, law enforcement officials confirmed.

The suspect has been identified as 48-year-old Claudio Manuel Neves Valente, a Portuguese national and former graduate student of Brown University. Authorities believe Valente acted alone in both attacks, which shook academic communities across the Northeastern United States.

Timeline of Events

December 13, 2025: A gunman opened fire inside the Barus & Holley building at Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island, killing two students and wounding nine others during a study session.

December 15, 2025: MIT physics professor Nuno F.G. Loureiro was fatally shot at his home in Brookline, Massachusetts.

December 16, 2025: Officials now believe Valente died by suicide in the storage facility — two days before his body was discovered. An autopsy showed he died from a gunshot wound to the head.

December 18, 2025: Law enforcement found Valente’s body in the rented storage unit, marking the end of a several-day interstate manhunt involving multiple agencies.

Identification and Manhunt

Authorities connected Valente to both shootings using surveillance footage, witness tips, and rental records tracing a vehicle believed to belong to the suspect. Law enforcement released images of Valente and appealed to the public for tips, ultimately leading to his identification.

Valente was a former physics graduate student at Brown, enrolled briefly in 2000–2001, but did not complete his degree. Investigators have noted that he had lived in the United States for several years and held permanent resident status.

Victims and Impact

The Brown University victims have been identified as Ella Cook, a sophomore, and Mukhammad Aziz Umurzokov, a first-year student. Nine other students were wounded in the attack.

Professor Nuno F.G. Loureiro, a respected physicist at MIT who was shot at his Brookline home, also succumbed to his injuries. Loureiro and Valente reportedly knew each other from their university days in Portugal, having studied at the same engineering institute.

Motive Still Unclear

Despite arrests being impossible due to Valente’s death, officials say the motive remains under investigation. Law enforcement sources have described the case as complex, with no immediate explanation for why Valente targeted the Brown University students and the MIT professor.

Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Neronha stated that there are “many unknowns,” including why the shootings occurred and what might have driven Valente’s actions.

Reaction and Ongoing Investigation

Federal, state, and local agencies — including the FBI — assisted in the multi-state investigation. Authorities continue to review digital records, communications, and other materials to construct a clearer picture of the suspect’s movements and potential motivations.

Both Brown University and MIT have released statements mourning the loss of life and promising continued support for affected students, faculty, and families.