Crime
Rented Vehicle in Brown University Shooting Matches Make and Model of Car Tied to MIT Professor Nuno Loureiro Death
Authorities on Thursday confirmed they have identified a person of interest in the fatal shooting at Brown University and are examining whether there may be a possible connection to the killing of a Massachusetts Institute of Technology professor, according to two individuals briefed on the investigation who were not authorized to speak publicly.
Investigators are actively searching for the individual and for a vehicle believed to have been rented by the person of interest, one official said.
Authorities have not publicly named a suspect in either the Brown University shooting or the separate homicide in Brookline, Massachusetts.
According to officials, investigators believe the rented vehicle is the same make and model as a car previously identified in connection with the shooting death of the MIT professor.
As a result, law enforcement agencies issued an alert to police departments across the Boston area, directing officers to be on the lookout for the vehicle.
The alert warned that anyone inside the car could be armed and dangerous and was wanted in connection with the Brookline homicide.
The bulletin did not reference the Brown University shooting.
The shooting at Brown occurred shortly after 4:00 p.m. Saturday when a masked individual dressed in black entered a lecture hall inside the Barus and Holley Science Building, where students had gathered for a review session ahead of final exams.
Witnesses reported that the gunman shouted something unintelligible before opening fire.
Two students were killed in the attack: MukhammadAziz Umurzokov, 18, of Virginia, and Ella Cook, 19, a sophomore from Alabama.
Nine additional students were wounded, and as of Thursday afternoon, six remained hospitalized, all listed in stable condition.
The shooting prompted a massive law enforcement response, with approximately 400 officers from multiple agencies deployed to the Brown campus and surrounding East Side neighborhood.
Heavily armed officers conducted room-by-room searches of campus buildings, while others canvassed nearby streets. Police helicopters were deployed overhead, but the gunman was able to flee the scene.
On Monday night, authorities in Brookline, Massachusetts, responded to a report of a shooting at the home of Dr. Nuno F. G. Loureiro, a professor at MIT. Dr. Loureiro was transported to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead early Tuesday morning.
Initially, Ted Docks, the special agent in charge of the FBIโs Boston field office, stated there appeared to be โno connectionโ between the Brown University shooting and Dr. Loureiroโs death. However, investigators have since continued to examine potential links as new information emerged during the search for the person of interest.
In the early hours of Sunday morning, police detained a 24-year-old man described at the time as a person of interest, briefly easing tensions in Providence following the campus lockdown. However, authorities later said forensic and scientific testing cleared the individual, and he was released without charges.
Officials emphasized that the investigation remains active and fluid.
No arrests have been announced, and authorities have urged the public to avoid speculation as investigators continue to follow verified leads.
Law enforcement agencies are asking anyone with information related to either case, or sightings of the vehicle in question, to contact police immediately.
Crime
16-year-old Khyon Smith-Tate found shot to death inside Chipotle bathroom on edge of Temple University’s campus in North Philadelphia
PHILADELPHIA โ A 16-year-old boy was fatally shot inside the bathroom of a Chipotle restaurant near Temple Universityโs campus in North Philadelphia on Monday afternoon, police said, as students and staff returned for the first day of the Spring 2026 semester.
The shooting occurred at approximately 5:00 p.m. inside the Chipotle located in the 1100 block of West Montgomery Avenue, on the ground floor of The View at Montgomery apartment complex. The building is situated near Temple Universityโs Student Center and TECH Center.
Police later identified the victim as Khyon Smith-Tate, a North Philadelphia resident. Philadelphia Police Chief Inspector Scott Small said Smith-Tate was found with a gunshot wound to the chest and was pronounced dead at 5:24 p.m.
Temple University President John Fry and Vice President for Public Safety and Chief of Police Jennifer Griffin issued a joint statement following the incident:
โThe loss of life to gun violence is a profound tragedy, and there are no words that can make sense of it. Our thoughts are with the victimโs family and loved ones.โ
According to investigators, Smith-Tate and another minor entered the restaurant and requested access to the restroom. Chief Inspector Small said the shooting is believed to have occurred inside the bathroom.
Moments later, employees discovered Smith-Tate suffering from a gunshot wound. Police recovered one spent shell casing from a semiautomatic weapon inside the restroom.
Although the victimโs last known address was approximately eight blocks from the scene, authorities have not indicated what brought him to the location or what led to the shooting.
At the time of the incident, the restaurant was crowded, and multiple individuals inside the business were detained briefly for questioning. However, police said they have not yet obtained any statements from witnesses who reported hearing a gunshot.
A person of interest was taken into custody several blocks from the scene shortly after the shooting, but Chief Inspector Small said that individualโs involvement remains unclear.
As of Tuesday, police confirmed that no arrests have been made and no motive has been established.
Investigators believe Smith-Tate entered the restroom with another minor, though the whereabouts of that individual remain unknown.
Police are also seeking information about three possible suspects, described as teenagers carrying backpacks.
Chief Inspector Small noted that the area is equipped with numerous surveillance cameras, which detectives are reviewing as part of the ongoing investigation.
Authorities are asking anyone with information related to the incident to contact the Philadelphia Police Department.