Brown University Review: Shooting Prevention
An external review finds it highly unlikely Brown University could have prevented the December 2025 mass shooting.
It is highly unlikely Brown University could have prevented the mass shooting on December 13, 2025, that killed two students and injured nine others. This is the conclusion of an external after-action review conducted by the global consulting firm Teneo Risk, the summary of which the university released on Friday. The findings were released as part of the university's Safety and Security at Brown University: Overview and Action Plan, which aims to improve campus safety.
Review Praises Officer Response
The report states that Brown's Department of Public Safety and Emergency Management officers responded rapidly, effectively, and heroically. It found they performed as well as could be expected given the information and tools available to them at the time. However, the review added that better equipment and training could have enhanced their response.
This assessment comes amid legal action. Three Brown University freshmen have sued the institution, claiming the violence occurred as a direct result of Brown's negligence. They allege the university did not properly respond to multiple warnings about the shooter's suspicious behavior. They also claim it failed to properly secure the Barus and Holley building, where the shooting took place in an auditorium.
Speculation on Preventive Measures
The shooter was former Brown Ph.D. student Claudio Neves Valente. After the attack at Brown, he went on to kill a Massachusetts Institute of Technology professor before killing himself.
Teneo's review considered whether different security measures might have helped. It said more patrols, stricter access control, or more comprehensive camera coverage might have allowed security to identify and confront Neves Valente during his visits near the building. However, the report stated that given they did not identify how Neves Valente entered Barus and Holley prior to the incident, it is not possible to do more than speculate whether any of these measures would have had an impact.
The review further noted that had Neves Valente been blocked from that building, he might have simply chosen another campus location or targeted individuals outside. The firm's main conclusion remained firm. The review says nothing about these events changes its main conclusion that nothing in the review suggests that Brown could have prevented the shooting.
University's Security Action Plan
In response to the review, Brown University has outlined a safety and security action plan. The plan focuses on improvements in several key areas, including governance and accountability, leadership and training, emergency preparedness and protocols, and tools and technology. These improvements are part of a broader effort to update campus fixtures and security infrastructure.
In a letter to the Brown community, Chancellor Brian T. Moynihan and President Christina H. Paxson addressed the findings. They wrote that the enduring contribution of the external reviews rests in the ways the findings will continue to strengthen Brown's security model for the future.
They also acknowledged a systemic challenge facing all institutions. The letter stated that while there currently are no mechanisms for colleges and universities to predict or prevent acts of mass violence by individuals committed to perpetrating such attacks, there are no words to express the depth of their commitment to bolster security. The university's plan aims to deter threats to the fullest extent possible.
