‘It’s very scary’: Residents recall 'terrifying' moments after Brown University shooting

PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND: Shock and disbelief rippled through neighborhoods surrounding Brown University on Saturday evening as residents and business owners recounted hearing sirens, seeing streets sealed off, and realizing a mass shooting had unfolded in what many describe as one of the safest parts of the city.

The attack, which took place near the university’s Barus and Holley engineering and physics building, left the community shaken long after police secured the area.

Elias Christian, a Providence resident who lives just blocks from campus, said he first sensed something was wrong when emergency vehicles began racing toward Brown University.

“I haven’t lived here too long, just a couple years, but I haven’t heard of anything like this happening,” Christian told Fox News Digital. “… This is known as kind of the safe part of the city and has a safer reputation in general.”

Resident describes Brown University area as 'heart of campus' after shooting

Christian said the shooting felt especially jarring because of where it occurred. “This is kind of the heart of Brown,” he said, emphasizing that the area is typically bustling with students and faculty going about their routines.

While he did not personally feel panicked, Christian acknowledged the fear others must have felt as the situation unfolded. He noted that law enforcement appeared to gain control quickly, which helped calm some nerves in the neighborhood.

“I didn’t feel particularly scared myself because it seemed like the police had it under control,” he said. “But I’m sure it was so much scarier for people who were here before it was under control.”

He added that his thoughts immediately went to the students inside nearby buildings when the chaos began. “And all the students in this building and in the area,” Christian said.

Business owner describes fear near Brown University after shooting

Just a few blocks away, local business owner Roshan, who runs the Metro Mart near Brown University, described a frightening and confusing scene as he arrived near his store Saturday evening.

“I saw the ambulance and police, and they blocked the way so I couldn’t park. I usually park in front of my store,” Roshan told Fox News Digital. “It’s very scary … like 90% of the people here are students. It’s terrible.”

Roshan said he immediately closed his store and waited outside, trying to piece together what had happened through conversations with police officers and updates on social media.

Describing the area as normally quiet and secure, Roshan said the shooting shattered that sense of safety. “This is one of the safest areas,” he said, adding that he often walks the streets late at night without concern.

“And all of a sudden, a shooting like this … this is terrifying right now,” he said.

Two students killed, nine injured in campus shooting

Authorities later confirmed that two students were killed in the shooting, while nine others were injured. Providence Mayor Brett Smiley said during a Saturday evening press conference that a ninth injured victim had been identified after initial reports.

“One of the new details that I’m sorry to have to share is that there is one additional victim today, so now there are nine injured individuals,” Smiley said.

The mayor clarified that the newly identified victim did not suffer a gunshot wound but “had received fragments from the shooting that had occurred near them.” The injuries were described as non-life-threatening.

Officials said all of the victims, except the most recently identified individual, were Brown University students.

Hospital treats victims as Brown University community grieves

Rhode Island Hospital confirmed it received eight patients connected to the shooting, including six in critical but stable condition, one in critical condition, and one in stable condition. The hospital remains on lockdown but continues to accept emergency patients.

As investigators continue working to determine what led to the violence, residents like Christian and Roshan say the incident has left a lasting mark on a community that never expected such tragedy so close to home.