The nation watched in horror as a gunman opened fire inside Brown University’s Barus & Holley building on December 13, leaving two students dead and nine others wounded while final exams loomed. Law enforcement and the FBI have launched an intensive manhunt, but the suspect remains at large and the campus community is living under a cloud of fear. Americans deserve answers, and they deserve them fast instead of soothing platitudes from officials who seem more interested in spinning than solving.
Investigators have released neighborhood surveillance clips and street footage showing a masked individual they want the public to identify, and the FBI has offered a $50,000 reward as tips pour in. A person briefly detained was later released after being cleared, underscoring how chaotic and high-pressure this inquiry has been from the start. The hard truth is that when a shooter vanishes into the crowd, every hour of delay and every missed lead risks another tragedy; authorities must be relentless and transparent.
Make no mistake: elite institutions that preach safety and social responsibility must answer for soft spots in security. Officials have acknowledged the attack occurred in an older portion of the building with sparse camera coverage, despite Brown’s vast resources and five-star endowment. It is an outrage when a gilded campus, flushing with donor cash and PR teams, cannot guarantee basic surveillance in high-traffic classrooms where students are supposed to be safe.
The public’s confidence has been further eroded by muddled messaging from local authorities and campus leaders — initial reports suggested a suspect was in custody only for that claim to be walked back. In moments like this, people need clear facts and decisive action, not contradictory press conferences that fuel rumors and social media witch hunts. If officials want cooperation from the community, they must stop treating real-time safety as a political theater and start treating it like law enforcement.
There are encouraging flashes: forensic teams are working the scene, agencies are canvassing neighborhoods, and the FBI has been posting timelines and footage for the public to review. Still, the investigation has been hampered by practical problems — weather, limited interior footage, and the shooter’s apparent planning — so nobody should kid themselves that this will be easy. Conservatives believe in backing the brave men and women of law enforcement with the resources and legal tools they need to bring a criminal to justice quickly and to prevent copycat attacks.
Fox News’s coverage featured former Boston Police Commissioner Ed Davis offering blunt, streetwise analysis and urging that detectives follow what he described as an actionable lead — the kind of no-nonsense policing this country needs more of. The media circus and partisan finger-pointing must not drown out competent investigation; the lives of students and the peace of neighborhoods are on the line. If Davis and seasoned lawmen see a path forward, elected leaders and university administrators ought to clear the bureaucratic obstacles immediately and let professionals do their job.
This is a moment for American unity and resolve, not pious ritual or campus virtue-signaling. We demand accountability from Brown’s leadership and from Providence officials, immediate upgrades to campus security where gaps exist, and unfailing support for the victims and their families. Locking arms behind law and order — not slogans or political point-scoring — is how we protect our children, our campuses, and the values that built this country.
