At least two dead in US university shooting

A law enforcement source told The Associated Press that at least two people died and many others were injured in the shooting at Brown University in Rhode Island, USA.

The university issued an active shooter alert on Saturday, urging students and staff to seek shelter on the second day of final exams.

Police did not immediately release details about the victims’ conditions or the circumstances of the shooting.

University officials initially told students and staff that a suspect was in custody, but later said that was not the case and that police were still searching for the suspect or suspects, according to alerts issued through Brown’s emergency notification system.

The reported shooting occurred near the Barus & Holley building, a seven-story complex that houses the university’s College of Engineering and physics department.

According to the university’s website, the building contains more than 100 laboratories, dozens of classrooms and offices.

After the police intervened at the scene, students were asked to take shelter where they were and people were told to stay away from the area. Officials cautioned that the information is preliminary as investigators work to determine what happened.

Kristy DosReis, public information officer for the city of Providence, said police are actively investigating the scene and are still gathering information.

Brown is a private, nonprofit Ivy League institution with approximately 7,300 undergraduate students and more than 3,000 graduate students. Saturday was the second day of the fall semester final exams.