A horrifying series of shootings at two prestigious American universities has been traced back to a connection formed three decades ago in another country, according to a report by the New York Post. The suspect, identified as Portuguese national Claudio Neves Valente, killed two students at Brown University and, two days later, murdered an MIT professor, Nuno Loureiro, before taking his own life.
A Deadly Connection from the Past
Authorities revealed that the deadly trail connects to the late 1990s in Portugal. Claudio Neves Valente and Professor Nuno Loureiro first crossed paths between 1995 and 2000 while at Portugal’s prestigious Instituto Superior Técnico. U.S. Attorney for the District of Massachusetts, Leah Foley, confirmed this historical link at a press conference on Thursday, stating, "My understanding is that they did know each other."
The timeline of Valente's life in America adds crucial context to the tragedy. He arrived in the United States on an F-1 student visa in the year 2000 to enroll in a doctoral program at Brown University. However, his time at the Ivy League institution was short-lived. Records show he took a leave of absence in the spring of 2001 and formally left the university in July 2003. Officials have confirmed he had no current ties to Brown at the time of the attacks.
The Week of Violence and a Nationwide Manhunt
In the weeks leading up to the violence, Valente's movements were deliberate. He obtained lawful U.S. permanent residency in April 2017. His preparations began in November when he rented a storage unit in Salem, New Hampshire. Later that same month, he secured a hotel room in Boston. Around December 1, he rented a grey Nissan Sentra with Florida license plates. This vehicle was spotted near Brown University's campus multiple times between December 1 and December 12.
The attack commenced last Saturday. Valente entered a classroom at Brown University, killing two students: Ella Cook and Mukhammad Aziz Umurzokov. Nine other individuals were wounded in the terrifying incident. Following this, he changed the car's license plates and traveled to Brookline, Massachusetts. On Monday, he located and killed Professor Nuno Loureiro at his home.
The End of a Nearly Weeklong Search
The search for the armed and dangerous suspect spanned nearly a week, putting communities on high alert. Valente remained active and mobile until Thursday. The intense manhunt concluded when authorities found him dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound inside the very storage facility he had rented in Salem, New Hampshire.
This tragic case highlights the long shadows cast by past connections and the devastating impact of targeted violence within academic communities. The investigation continues to piece together the full motive behind these calculated killings that have left two university campuses in mourning.
