Providence mayor, police chief honored at college basketball game after Brown shooter investigation

PROVIDENCE, R.I. — Providence Mayor Brett Smiley and Police Chief Oscar Perez were greeted with a standing ovation Friday night during the Providence College men’s basketball game against Seton Hall, a moment that followed the end of a six-day investigation into the Brown University shooting and the confession of a deadly end to the pursuit.

Authorities said the alleged gunman in the Brown University case was found dead Thursday in a Salem, New Hampshire storage unit, the result of a self-inflicted gunshot wound, effectively ending a lengthy manhunt that drew national attention. The investigation had been marked by controversy, including the detention of an innocent man who was mistaken for the suspect and questions about how information was shared with the public as the search progressed.

Detectives initially questioned a person of interest at a hotel outside town but ruled him out as a suspect, authorities said. Over the days that followed, investigators canvassed neighborhoods for surveillance video, which yielded a photo of a masked, stocky man about 5 feet 8 inches tall who walked with an unusual gait.

Claudio Manuel Neves Valente, 48, a Portuguese national who studied physics at Brown University from the fall of 2000 to the spring of 2001 and withdrew in 2003, has been identified by Brown officials as the person connected to the shooting. Brown University President Christina Paxson confirmed Valente’s past affiliation with the university, though the motive for the attack has not been determined and remains under investigation. The closure of the immediate manhunt did not erase the impact on the Brown and Providence communities, which had been left on edge as classes were disrupted and residents awaited answers.

The moment at the Dunkin’ Donuts Center, where Providence College hosts Seton Hall, offered a visible signal of communal resilience. Smiley and Perez participated in postgame ceremonies and public appearances that highlighted the city’s effort to respond to a national news story while maintaining public safety and trust in local government. Officials emphasized that the investigation’s conclusion would be followed by reviews aimed at ensuring transparency and accountability in future public communications about sensitive cases.

In the days after the shooting, residents and university leaders described a period of uncertainty, with Brown students sent home early and the campus on lockdown-like conditions at times. Local authorities have said they will pursue a full account of the investigation's timeline and decision-making processes to determine what could be learned and applied to future public safety operations. The community remains focused on remembering the victims while continuing to navigate the implications of a case that drew intense scrutiny over the handling of sensitive information during an ongoing investigation.