Trump Accuses Brown University of “School Problem” in Fatal Rhode Island Campus Shooting

President Donald Trump on Monday placed blame on Brown University for delays in identifying the suspect in the deadly campus shooting that occurred over the weekend in Providence, Rhode Island, calling it a “school problem.”

The remarks came during an Oval Office event honoring U.S. service members for their role in border protection.

When asked why the FBI, which is assisting Rhode Island authorities in the investigation, has not yet identified the gunman, Trump stated that locating suspects in such cases is often difficult but suggested the responsibility rests with the university.

“This was a school problem,” Trump told reporters. “They had their own guards. They had their own police, had their own everything. But you’d have to ask that question really to the school, not to the FBI. We came in after the fact, and the FBI will do a good job, but they came in after the fact.”

The suspect in the shooting remains at large as investigators continue to review evidence and surveillance footage.

The FBI released three images of the masked male suspect, describing him as 5 feet 8 inches with a stocky build. The agency is offering a $50,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the individual.

On Sunday, authorities briefly detained a person of interest after receiving a tip that specifically identified the individual, whose name was later leaked to the media. However, law enforcement officials stated at a Sunday afternoon press conference that there was not enough evidence to continue holding the individual and that investigators now believe he is not connected to the attack.

Police also clarified they had questioned only one person of interest, not two, contrary to reports.

Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Neronha reported “steady progress” in identifying the suspect on Monday. “The sooner we can identify that person, the sooner we can, I think, blow this case open,” he said.

Two students were killed and nine others injured in the shooting.

One of the victims was identified as Ella Cook, a sophomore from Alabama who served as vice president of the Brown University College Republicans.

Authorities identified the other victim as Mukhammad Aziz Umurzokov, whose family are naturalized U.S. citizens originally from Uzbekistan and now live in Virginia.