Brown University faces backlash for brushing off security fears before mass shooting tragedy
WASHINGTON, DC: Brown University is facing renewed scrutiny over campus safety after students and staff alleged that years of security warnings were repeatedly brushed aside before a recent mass shooting left two students dead and nine others injured.
Accounts from students, campus safety officers and reporting by the Brown Daily Herald suggested longstanding concerns about building access, emergency response delays and the handling of prior threats.
Critics accused the Ivy League institution of prioritizing reputation over security preparedness.
Building access and delayed alerts under scrutiny
The shooting occurred inside an engineering building that students said lacked basic access controls.
According to multiple accounts, the building did not require swipe-card entry and could be accessed through a public-facing coffee shop.
No security officer was stationed at the entrance, a measure used in other campus facilities.
University emergency response has also come under criticism. A timeline published by the student newspaper reportedly showed a 17-minute gap between the initial 911 call and the university’s first campus-wide alert on the day of the shooting.
Prior threats reportedly downplayed
Safety concerns reportedly predate the recent violence. In 2023, campus safety officers reportedly warned administrators of a credible shooting threat linked to Dennis ‘DJ’ Hernandez, a former assistant football coach and the brother of former NFL player Aaron Hernandez.
According to police records cited by the student paper, Hernandez had allegedly told associates that he had visited Brown’s campus to plan an attack and made violent statements online.
Despite warnings from Bristol, Connecticut police, Brown’s Department of Public Safety reportedly concluded the threat was not based on credible intelligence.
A children’s reading event scheduled during that period went ahead as planned. While Brown’s comfort dog did not attend after a handler withdrew due to safety concerns, the event itself was not canceled.
Hernandez was later arrested and sentenced to time served and supervised release on federal charges.
Bomb threat response questioned
In another incident in 2021, the Brown Daily Herald reported that the university delayed contacting Providence police after a caller claimed bombs had been placed across campus and that he was armed.
A K-9 unit was reportedly called an hour later, following internal objections from public safety officers. Students were alerted another hour after that.
One officer later alleged that his written report was altered to remove references to his concerns and response delays.
Michael Greco, a campus safety officer with 17 years of service, was later diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder and filed a lawsuit against the university.
“Brown’s desire to protect its reputation, at all costs, leads to a willingness to gamble with our lives,” Greco wrote in an email to administrators cited by the student newspaper.
Growing internal dissent
In 2025 alone, campus security officers issued two votes of no confidence against Public Safety Chief Rodney Chatman.
An October editorial in the Brown Daily Herald described the situation as a “threat to public safety” and accused the university of failing its duty of care.
Brown University did not respond to requests for comment. Earlier this week, President Christina Paxson said she was “deeply saddened” by claims questioning the university’s commitment to safety.
As investigations continue, students and staff are calling for structural reforms, clearer emergency protocols and greater transparency around how safety concerns are handled.
