Brown University President Christina H. Paxson on Thursday detailed the limited and long-ago academic history of Claudio Manuel Neves Valente, the former student identified by police as the suspect in the deadly campus shooting.
Valente, a 48-year-old Portuguese national, took his own life Thursday night in New Hampshire.
At a press conference, Paxson said Valente was enrolled at the university more than two decades ago and had no current affiliation with Brown at the time of the attack.
According to university records, Valente was admitted to Brown's graduate school in the fall of 2000 to pursue advanced study in physics. He enrolled in the Master of Science/Ph.D. track within the physics department beginning Sept. 1, 2000.
Paxson said Valente remained enrolled through the spring of 2001, taking only physics courses during that period. He took a leave of absence effective April 2001 and later formally withdrew from the university on July 31, 2003.
"Neves Valente has no current or recent affiliation with Brown University and no authorized campus presence," Paxson emphasized.
While the university does not maintain detailed classroom location records dating back to 2001, Paxson noted that most physics instruction at Brown has historically taken place in the Barus & Holley Engineering Building — the same building where the shooting occurred.
"The majority of physics classes at Brown have always been held within the Barus & Holley classrooms," Paxson said, adding that physics coursework typically requires access to specialized equipment housed in that facility.
As a result, she said it is reasonable to conclude that Valente spent significant time in the Barus & Holley building during his brief enrollment as a graduate student.
Paxson stressed, however, that his academic connection to Brown ended more than 20 years ago and that he was not a current student, employee, or researcher at the university.
University officials continue to cooperate fully with law enforcement as the investigation into the shooting proceeds. Paxson said Brown remains focused on supporting victims, families, and the campus community while reinforcing safety and security measures.
"This individual's history at Brown is limited to a short period many years ago," Paxson said. "He did not have any ongoing relationship with the university."
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