Final exams at the prestigious Brown University turned into a scene of carnage this weekend, leaving two students dead and a campus paralyzed by fear. As the dust settles on the Ivy League grounds in Providence, Rhode Island, a community known for academic excellence is now grappling with the violent reality of American gun culture.

The tragedy underscores the persistent volatility of campus safety in the United States—a reality that weighs heavily on the thousands of Kenyan families with children pursuing higher education across the Atlantic. While the immediate threat has subsided, the investigation is only just beginning.

Weapons Seized in Hotel Raid

Police Chief Col. Oscar Perez confirmed that a person of interest, described only as a male in his 20s, was taken into custody on Sunday morning. While authorities have remained tight-lipped regarding the suspect's identity, federal law enforcement sources told CNN that significant evidence was recovered at the scene of the arrest.

According to those reports, investigators discovered a small Glock handgun equipped with a laser sight and a revolver inside the hotel room where the man was apprehended. Despite these findings, Chief Perez declined to explicitly confirm if the detainee is the same individual captured on surveillance footage released Saturday, maintaining a cautious approach as the investigation unfolds.

A Campus in Mourning

Brown University President Christina Paxson confirmed the heartbreaking news that the two deceased victims were students. The attack, which occurred during the high-stress period of final exams, also left nine others wounded. Paxson provided a grim update on the survivors currently receiving care at Rhode Island Hospital:

• Seven victims are listed in critical but stable condition.
• One victim remains in critical condition.
• One student was discharged Saturday night and is recovering with family.

Providence Mayor Brett Smiley, who visited the survivors, praised the swift response of emergency medical staff. However, he noted that authorities are still in the process of contacting the families of all victims, delaying the release of names.

"We are seeing resilience in the face of unspeakable trauma," Smiley observed, though he refused to speculate on the motive behind the attack. As the shelter-in-place order lifts, the university faces the difficult task of resuming operations under the shadow of violence.