Tipster's Insight Leads to Breakthrough in Brown University Shootings

Fri Dec 19 2025 14:19:07 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

The vital information provided by a tipster, who encountered the suspect on the sidewalk outside Brown University, played a crucial role in identifying the alleged shooter responsible for multiple attacks, including a tragic double murder of students.

A tipster, identified only as 'John', provided pivotal insights leading to the identification of Claudio Neves Valente, the suspect linked to the fatal shootings at Brown University and the subsequent murder of an MIT professor. His encounters and detailed reports played a key role in advancing the investigation, culminating in the discovery of the suspect's body.

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (OnPoint) — A key witness known only as “John” in a recent police affidavit has revealed critical information that helped law enforcement identify the suspect believed to have fatally shot two Brown University students, followed by the murder of a Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) professor.

After a chaotic scene where the alleged shooter discharged over 40 rounds within a Brown engineering building, the community of Providence, Rhode Island, was engulfed in anxiety as police struggled to pinpoint the attacker. However, on the sixth day of the investigation, significant breakthrough came when police found the suspect dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

According to Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Neronha, the insights provided by the tipster “blew this case wide open,” leading police to identify the suspect and locate his body swiftly.

Details surfaced that John had encountered 48-year-old Claudio Neves Valente on multiple occasions prior to the tragic incident. As police circulated images of a person of interest, John utilized the social media platform Reddit to speculate on his recognition of Valente and suggested that authorities look into a grey Nissan vehicle linked to the suspect.

Authorities confirmed that the tip significantly advanced their inquiries, leading them to review extensive surveillance footage across the city secured through a network of street cameras.

John's interactions with the suspect included a notable encounter in a bathroom at the engineering building hours before the shooting. Observing Valente’s clothing, which he deemed inappropriate for the weather, John recounted tense moments outside, describing a “cat and mouse” dynamic as Valente repeatedly fled when approached.

Despite the findings, it remains unclear if John will be awarded the $50,000 bounty offered by the FBI for relevant information, with officials indicating he may be entitled to it based on his contributions to advancing the investigation.