Brown and MIT Shooting Suspect Found Dead Amid False Claims of Antisemitic Motive

Suspect in Brown and MIT Shootings Found Dead as Antisemitism Rumors Prove Unfounded

Authorities announced late Thursday that Claudio Neves Valente, the man responsible for shootings at Brown University and the home of an MIT professor, was found dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound at a New Hampshire self-storage facility.

While investigators have not explicitly stated Valente’s motives, they revealed key connections that suggest he may have been settling personal grievances. Officials confirmed Valente had briefly been a graduate physics student at Brown University more than two decades ago, with classes often held in the building where the shooting occurred. He had also attended university in Portugal with MIT victim Nuno Loureiro during the 1990s.

The attacks, which occurred last Saturday and Monday, sparked widespread unfounded rumors of antisemitism, particularly as they happened around the same time as a Hanukkah celebration attack in Australia that targeted Jews.

The Brown University shooting took place during a study session for a popular economics class taught by a Jewish professor with connections to Israeli academic institutions, though she was not present at the time. In the aftermath, two students were killed – a Christian woman from Alabama and a Muslim immigrant from Uzbekistan – while nine others sustained injuries, some serious.

Online speculation quickly spiraled out of control, with unverified claims that the shooter had shouted phrases associated with Islamic terrorists or pro-Palestinian activists. Social media users falsely accused a Brown student who had participated in pro-Palestinian activism of committing the crime, prompting the university to remove web pages about the student to prevent further harassment.

Far-right conspiracy theorist Laura Loomer, known for her proximity to President Donald Trump, was among prominent voices amplifying baseless claims that the attack was perpetrated by an Islamic terrorist. Law enforcement officials repeatedly had to address these rumors during press conferences as the investigation progressed.

The subsequent murder of MIT professor Nuno Loureiro in his Brookline, Massachusetts home further inflamed unfounded allegations of antisemitic motives. Self-proclaimed antisemitism watchdogs claimed Loureiro was Jewish and pro-Israel, suggesting his murder proved supporters of Israel were being “hunted” in the United States.

An analysis by the Forward traced these rumors to a post by Ira Stoll, a former journalist who runs a conservative Substack that frequently criticizes alleged antisemitism at elite universities. Although Stoll later edited his post to acknowledge Loureiro was not Jewish, the misinformation had already spread widely, even reaching Israeli news outlets like the Jerusalem Post, which also published unattributed claims that Israeli officials were investigating potential Iranian involvement in Loureiro’s murder.

The five-day saga demonstrates how rapidly misinformation can spread in today’s digital landscape. A viral post attributed to Casey Babb, a Canadian researcher affiliated with both independent and pro-Israel think tanks, listed 11 incidents allegedly showing Jews were being “hunted down and killed” during Hanukkah, including the Brown and MIT incidents. However, only two of these incidents actually targeted Jews. The post continued circulating even after authorities identified Valente as the perpetrator.

Ironically, it was an online post that provided the breakthrough in the case. A Reddit user identified as “John” in police filings suggested investigators look into a particular rental car spotted at Brown University. This tip allowed officials to identify Valente as the renter and track him to the New Hampshire storage center where he was found dead.

Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Neronha acknowledged the tipster’s crucial role early Friday, saying simply: “When you crack it, you crack it.”