Police release map tracking person of interest in Brown University shooting manhunt

PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND: The search for the suspect in the deadly shooting at Brown University continued into its fifth day on Wednesday, December 17, as authorities released new information aimed at advancing the investigation.

Providence police published a map detailing where a person of interest was seen before and after the attack, and asked the public to help identify an individual who crossed paths with that person.

The shooting left two students dead and nine others injured, prompting the cancellation of classes and exams at the Ivy League School. Investigators said that community cooperation remained critical as no arrest had been made. 

Police release map and renew appeal for public assistance 

Providence police on Wednesday released a map showing the streets where the person of interest was captured on surveillance footage on the day of the shooting.

Streets marked in one color indicated the locations where footage confirmed that the individual was present hours before the attack, while a second color confirmed the sightings immediately afterwards.

A larger highlighted area outlined where investigators were still seeking additional video footage. 

Speaking at a news conference, Providence Police Chief Col Oscar Perez emphasized the need for public involvement.

"It is a very intense investigation, and I think it's going to take public assistance," Perez said.

"It's going to take 21st-century policing involving technology, but it's also going to take good old-fashioned police work, which is knocking on doors, going through yards," he added. 

Perez said that detectives believed the suspect may have been in the area earlier than initially thought and urged residents and businesses to review security camera footage.

"They do case the areas. They do a lot of prior checking for their crime," he said. "We truly believe that possibly he was there prior as well, and so we want to make sure that we don't miss anything."

Authorities have also asked owners of camera-equipped vehicles, including Teslas, to share any footage from at least a week before the shooting.

Community response and ongoing investigation 

As the manhunt continues, the Providence community has rallied in response to the violence.

The Rhode Island Blood Center reported an "immediate and deeply moving" surge in donations following the shooting.

"Students walked through snow, rerouted themselves to other donor centers, and even chose triple platelet donations when they learned how their blood types would help patients the most," a spokesperson told CNN. 

According to the center, 330 units of blood were collected on Sunday, more than three times a typical Sunday volume, and more than 2,000 donation appointments had been made since the attack, roughly double the usual number.

Nearly 400 people reportedly donated blood for the first time in the three days following the shooting. 

Authorities have said that it remains unclear whether the person of interest was affiliated with Brown University.