The Newport Police Department says that it has increased patrols and security presence across the city in response to the mass shooting at Brown University and a terrorist attack in Australia that together killed 18 people over the weekend.
Officers from Newport were among those who responded to the Providence campus Saturday after a gunman opened fire during a final exam review session, killing two students and wounding nine others. A manhunt for the shooter entered its fourth day Tuesday, with the FBI offering a $50,000 reward for information leading to an arrest and conviction.
The Newport County Special Response Team, which includes officers from the Jamestown, Middletown, Newport, Portsmouth, and Tiverton police departments, responded to Brown University on Dec. 13 to assist Providence police with safety and security during the incident, Capt. Joseph Carroll said in a statement.
“The safety of our residents and visitors is our absolute highest priority,” Chief Ryan Duffy said. “While we see no immediate threat to our community, these heightened patrols ensure we maintain a safe and secure environment for everyone.”
The department has significantly increased patrols around all public gathering spots and school campuses within Newport, according to the statement.
The shooting occurred around 4 p.m. Saturday in the Barus & Holley engineering and physics building, where students were taking final exams. Providence Police Chief Oscar Perez said Monday the shooter used a 9mm handgun and “definitely targeted Brown University.” Investigators are looking into a possible motive.
The two students killed have been identified as Ella Cook, a sophomore from Birmingham, Alabama, who served as vice president of Brown’s College Republicans, and Mukhammad Aziz Umurzokov, who immigrated to the United States from Uzbekistan as a child.
A person of interest detained Sunday was released after authorities determined the evidence pointed “in a different direction,” Providence Mayor Brett Smiley said. Police on Monday released new photos and video of another person of interest, described as approximately 5-foot-8 with a stocky build, captured about two hours before the shooting.
Brown University has canceled the remainder of its fall semester classes.
The enhanced protocols in Newport also come in response to a shooting attack on Sunday at a Hanukkah celebration at Bondi Beach in Sydney, Australia, that killed 16 people and injured more than 40 others. Australian authorities have called the attack an act of terrorism targeting the Jewish community.
The Newport Police Department remains in close contact with the Providence police and stands ready to provide further assistance, Carroll said.