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Brown University has moved to place its police chief on leave as scrutiny intensifies over campus safety following a deadly mass shooting earlier this month. The decision comes amid federal involvement and mounting questions about how authorities responded.
University leaders say the step is part of a broader review rather than a disciplinary action.
Leadership review
According to the BBC, Brown University president Christina Paxson announced on Monday that police chief Rodney Chatman has been placed on leave “effective immediately”.
She said the move forms part of a “standard” review of campus safety procedures following the attack.
The shooting on 13 December left two students dead and nine others injured. Police have since faced criticism over their handling of the incident, particularly the time taken to identify and locate a suspect.
Earlier on Monday, the US Department of Education confirmed it is also reviewing safety measures at the Ivy League institution.
Investigation widens
Authorities identified the suspect six days after the shooting as Claudio Neves Valente, a 48-year-old Portuguese national who had previously studied at Brown. Valente was later found dead in a storage facility in Salem, New Hampshire, on Friday.
Officials believe Valente also killed a Massachusetts Institute of Technology professor two days after the Brown shooting, though no motive has been released in either case.
Investigators said the gunman entered a building used by Brown’s engineering and physics departments and fired at least 44 rounds at students inside.
Campus response
In her statement, Paxson praised the “bravery, dedication and commitment” of campus police officers who responded during the attack. At the same time, she acknowledged the “anxiety, fear and stress” felt across the university community.
She said Brown’s governing body will conduct two reviews: one examining the response to the shooting, and another assessing the university’s existing safety policies.
The developments follow criticism from President Donald Trump, who questioned whether the campus had enough security cameras. Paxson has said Brown operates around 1,200 cameras across the university.
The two victims were named as Ella Cook, 19, a second-year student from Alabama, and Mukhammad Aziz Umurzokov, 18, a first-year Uzbek-American student, reports the BBC.
Sources: BBC
