Shooting at Brown University: Shooter’s Videos Uncover Years of Planning
In a tragic event that shook the academic community, Claudio Neves Valente, a former student of Brown University and a Portuguese national, was identified as the shooter responsible for the deaths of two Brown University students and an MIT professor. The U.S. Department of Justice revealed that Neves Valente meticulously planned the attack over several years and left behind video confessions without any clear motive.
Neves Valente, 48, ended his own life in a New Hampshire storage facility shortly after the violent incidents. On December 13, he fatally shot two students and injured nine others inside an engineering building at Brown University. Two days later, MIT professor Nuno F.G. Loureiro was killed in his Boston-area home.
Discovery of the Shooter’s Confession Videos
During the investigation, the FBI recovered an electronic device from the storage facility where Neves Valente’s body was found. The device contained videos in which he admitted to the shootings and detailed his meticulous planning over at least six semesters. However, he failed to provide a motive for his actions.
According to a transcript provided by the Justice Department, Neves Valente stated, “I’m not going to apologize because during my lifetime no one sincerely apologized to me.” He also refuted false claims that he had shouted Arabic phrases during the attack, explaining that any exclamation made was likely an expression of surprise upon finding the auditorium empty.
Shooter’s Intentions and Reflections
Despite the chaos caused, Neves Valente insisted he was of sound mind, had no desire for fame, and that the videos were not intended as a manifesto. He described his actions as an attempt to control his fate, saying his goal was to leave “on his own terms” and not suffer the most from his actions.
In a chilling admission, he described the shootings as “a little incompetent,” yet justified them by saying, “But at least something was done.” He expressed no animosity or affection for the United States, where he had lived for many years after initially coming to study at Brown.
Background and Connections
Neves Valente and Professor Loureiro shared a past academic connection, having studied together in Portugal from 1995 to 2000. Loureiro was a notable alumnus of Instituto Superior Técnico, Portugal’s leading engineering school, while Neves Valente’s tenure at a Lisbon university ended in early 2000.
The investigation revealed that Neves Valente had rented the storage space where he was found dead for approximately three years. Brown University has expressed deep sorrow over the tragic loss and continues to support the recovery of those injured.
Witness Encounter Leads to Identification
Neves Valente recounted an encounter with a witness at Brown University that played a crucial role in his identification. The witness, who had interacted with Neves Valente before the shootings, recognized him from police images and alerted authorities about a possible connection to a gray Nissan vehicle.
This tip was vital, as until then, investigators had not linked a vehicle to the suspect. Neves Valente expressed surprise at the time it took for authorities to locate him, admitting, “I honestly never thought it would take them so long to find me.”
Reflecting on his time in the U.S., Neves Valente, who had once been a student at Brown, became a legal permanent resident in 2017. He last resided in Miami, maintaining a detached perspective on the country and his homeland of Portugal.
