PROVIDENCE, R.I. (Journos News) – Newly released police recordings from the day of the Brown University shooting in December show the immediate response to a campus attack that left two students dead and nine others injured. Providence officials said Monday that portions of the footage were withheld or heavily redacted to protect victims and sensitive details.

Providence Mayor Brett Smiley acknowledged the challenge of balancing public transparency with the potential harm that unedited material could cause. “This was a difficult process to maintain our commitment to transparency, respond to media requests, and respect the public’s right to know, while mitigating serious risks to victims,” Smiley said at a press briefing. The city said additional footage remains under review, with release decisions made in consultation with legal advisors.

Media outlets had sought body camera footage, audio clips, and other records since the shooting occurred in mid-December. Monday’s release includes roughly 20 minutes of body camera video and police radio audio from the initial response.

Police Response Captured in Redacted Footage

The audio records a campus police officer contacting city authorities at 4:07 p.m.: “This is Brown police. We have confirmed gunshots at 184 Hope Street. We do have a victim but we do not know where they are.” Minutes later, a follow-up call included a suspect description: “Wearing all black and a ski mask, unknown travel direction.”

The video shows officers navigating a tense, chaotic environment, moving students to safety, and searching for the shooter. Objects including backpacks and gloves are scattered across hallways as officers attempt to secure the building.

“Let’s get these rescues in, where are we staging rescue?” one officer says, later adding, “Shooter might still be in the building, so use caution, alright.” Large portions of the video are blacked out or obscured by the officer’s arms. Officials said the released video provides the most comprehensive view without exposing graphic content.

Mayor Smiley noted that additional footage would not clarify the shooter’s motives. “Why did this person do this? None of those videos are going to answer that question,” he said.

Confusion and Misidentification During the Response

Other recordings capture officers reporting a possible sighting of the shooter on the second floor of a nearby building and mistakenly detaining a maintenance worker. Within minutes, officers realized the error and resumed the search.

City officials said the records were withheld until after a memorial service on campus at the request of the victims’ families. Smiley described families as “remarkably strong and resilient” and expressed concern that premature release could impede their recovery.

Shooting Details

On December 13, gunman Claudio Neves Valente, 48, entered a study session in a Brown academic building, killing 19-year-old sophomore Ella Cook and 18-year-old freshman MukhammadAziz Umurzokov and wounding nine others. A police incident report released Monday described victims’ emotional reactions when shown photographs of the suspect.

Authorities have also linked Neves Valente to the fatal shooting of Massachusetts Institute of Technology professor Nuno F.G. Loureiro at his Boston-area home. Neves Valente, who had attended school with Loureiro in Portugal during the 1990s, was found dead days later in a New Hampshire storage facility.

The U.S. Justice Department said Neves Valente had planned the attacks for years. Investigators recovered videos from a storage unit in which he confessed to the killings, though he provided no explanation for his actions.

Source: AP News – New video footage released from day of the fatal Brown University shooting

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BOSTON – Harvard University is taking the Trump administration to court after the federal government froze more than $2.2 billion in research funding, a move that Harvard says is political retaliation for refusing to comply with controversial campus reform demands.

The lawsuit, filed Monday in federal court in Boston, comes after the Trump administration accused Harvard of fostering an environment of unchecked antisemitism following student-led protests over the Israel-Gaza conflict. In response, the administration issued an April 11 ultimatum, pushing for sweeping changes—from admissions policy revisions to stricter protest discipline and a re-evaluation of diversity efforts.

Harvard President Alan Garber refused to comply, citing constitutional protections and academic freedom. Hours later, the administration froze billions in federal research grants, affecting projects that span medical, technological, and scientific innovation.

“There’s no rational link between these antisemitism accusations and the life-saving research they’re targeting,” Harvard argued in its lawsuit. “This is arbitrary, capricious, and a threat to America’s innovation pipeline.”

The Trump administration’s hardline stance aims to shake up what it sees as liberal-dominated academia. Harvard, a longtime symbol of elite education, has now become the test case for federal efforts to force universities to toe a new ideological line—or lose funding.

The White House fired back quickly.

“The gravy train of taxpayer-funded handouts to elite institutions like Harvard is over,” said White House spokesman Harrison Fields. “Federal support is a privilege, not an entitlement.”

The administration also called on Harvard to audit its community for ideological diversity, crack down on protests, stop recognizing certain student groups, and vet international students for alignment with “American values.”

Harvard’s leadership and supporters argue that the administration’s demands violate the First Amendment and overstep the government’s authority. In a message to the university community, Garber said the lawsuit is about more than one school—it’s about protecting the independence of American higher education.

“We stand for the truth that universities can fulfill their roles in society without improper government intrusion,” Garber wrote.

The university’s legal push is also backed by major academic organizations. The American Council on Education, which represents over 1,600 colleges and universities, applauded the lawsuit, calling the freeze “a clear violation of due process and rule of law.”

This case adds to mounting tensions between the Trump administration and academic institutions, particularly those that resist its policies on immigration, free speech, and cultural debates. The administration has increasingly used federal funding—especially research grants—as leverage.

The American Association of University Professors has also filed its own suit, seeking to block the government’s review of Harvard’s funding. Harvard alumna Anurima Bhargava praised the university’s stance, calling it a “refusal to give in to escalating, dangerous demands.”

“This is a reckless attempt at control that puts lifesaving research in jeopardy,” Bhargava said.

Source: AP News – Harvard sues Trump administration to stop the freeze of more than $2 billion in grants

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Fear and uncertainty are gripping many US college campuses ahead of President-elect Donald Trump’s January 20 inauguration. Universities are urging international students to return early from winter break, citing the potential for another travel ban similar to the one that disrupted lives during Trump’s first term.

Rising Concerns Over Immigration Policies

With over 1.1 million international students enrolled in the 2023-24 academic year, concerns are mounting about Trump’s proposed immigration policies. These include expanding his previous travel ban on predominantly Muslim countries and revoking visas for “radical anti-American and antisemitic foreigners.”

International students generally hold nonimmigrant visas that allow study in the US but offer no clear path to residency. For students like Pramath Pratap Misra, a 23-year-old Indian graduate from New York University (NYU), it’s a time of heightened anxiety. NYU, which hosted more than 27,000 international students last year, exemplifies the precarious situation faced by foreign students.

Travel Advisory: Return Before Inauguration

Several universities, including Cornell University and the University of Southern California (USC), are strongly advising international students to cut short or avoid travel plans outside the US before the inauguration. Cornell’s Office of Global Learning warned students to return before January 21, citing potential travel bans targeting countries like Iran, Libya, Nigeria, and even major nations such as China and India.

USC, home to over 17,000 international students, urged students to return a week before Trump takes office, emphasizing that executive orders affecting travel and visa processing could be imminent.

Implications Beyond Travel

Trump’s promise of “mass deportations” casts a wide shadow, affecting students across industries such as agriculture, construction, and healthcare. At the same time, he has proposed granting green cards to foreign graduates of US universities — but only to the “most skilled” individuals. A campaign spokesperson clarified this would exclude groups Trump perceives as “radical” or “anti-American.”

Universities Offer Support Amid Uncertainty

Institutions like UCLA reassured students that immigration information would remain confidential unless required by law. NYU emphasized its commitment to cross-border mobility, vowing to monitor and address immigration-related policies.

Other universities are stepping up with guidance and resources:

• University of Massachusetts Amherst encouraged early returns “out of an abundance of caution.”
• Northeastern University, second only to NYU in international student enrollment, recommended returning by January 6 to avoid disruptions.
• Harvard University advised budgeting extra time ahead of the semester.

Uncertainty for the Future

Some students, like Gabrielle Balreira Fontenelle Mota, a Brazilian junior at NYU, expressed concerns about ideological screenings Trump has promised to implement. While not directly from a targeted country, she fears broader restrictions could still impact her future.

Stuart Anderson, Executive Director of the National Foundation for American Policy, noted during a briefing that Trump’s second term would likely echo his first, with sweeping restrictions on foreign-born students and workers.

Conclusion

As the inauguration nears, international students and universities alike are bracing for potential policy shifts. From travel bans to ideological screenings, the uncertainty surrounding Trump’s immigration agenda underscores the challenges for the global academic community. Institutions are urging vigilance and preparation to safeguard educational pursuits amid an unpredictable political landscape.

Source

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