U.S. investigators are examining Claudio Neves Valente’s academic history after he allegedly attacked a Brown University classroom—killing two students—and is believed to have murdered MIT professor Nuno Loureiro. Valente, 48, briefly enrolled in Brown’s physics PhD program around 2000–2001 and dropped out in 2003; he was later found dead in a Salem, New Hampshire storage locker of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot. Authorities are tracing his path from Lisbon’s Instituto Superior Técnico to U.S. institutions to search for a motive.
From Lisbon to Brown: Probe Into Shooter Claudio Neves Valente’s Short Academic Past After Brown Attack and Killing of MIT Professor
Investigators look at a grey Nissan car at a storage facility where the Brown University shooter, identified by authorities as Claudio Neves Valente, took his own life, in Salem, New Hampshire, U.S., December 18, 2025. REUTERS/CJ Gunther
U.S. investigators are scrutinizing the academic history of Claudio Neves Valente after a deadly attack on a Brown University classroom and the apparent killing of an MIT professor. Valente, 48, briefly enrolled in Brown’s physics PhD program around 2000–2001 before dropping out; authorities say he later returned to campus armed and killed two students.
Overview of the Incidents
Police say Valente entered a classroom in Brown’s Barus & Holley building and shot multiple people, killing students Ella Cook and Mukhammad Aziz Umurzokov and wounding several others. Two days later, investigators reported that MIT physics professor Nuno Loureiro, 47, had been fatally shot at his home outside Boston. Authorities announced they believe Valente carried out both attacks.
Suspect Found Dead
Valente’s body was discovered inside a storage locker he had recently rented in Salem, New Hampshire; investigators say he apparently died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head. Law enforcement has said survivors initially did not know the attacker but later identified him from photographs shown during the investigation.
Academic Background Under Review
Investigators are tracing Valente’s path from Portugal to the United States to search for a motive. Valente grew up in Torres Novas, north of Lisbon, and showed early promise in physics—competing in a Physics Olympiad and traveling in his teens with other students to Canberra, Australia. He studied at Lisbon’s Instituto Superior Técnico, where reports say he worked briefly as a teaching assistant before his contract ended in February 2000.
Valente enrolled at Brown a few months later and was a physics PhD student for a short period around 2000–2001. University officials say his formal affiliation with Brown ended in 2003 after a long leave of absence and that no current Brown employee remembers him. In immigration documents filed when he applied for a U.S. green card, Valente listed Brown’s Barus & Holley building as his institution address despite noting he had dropped out years earlier; he became a lawful permanent resident in 2017.
Contrasting Careers: Loureiro and Valente
By contrast with Valente, Nuno Loureiro built an established academic career: he earned a PhD from Imperial College London, worked in theoretical physics and fusion research, and joined MIT’s faculty in 2016 after research positions in Portugal. MIT called Loureiro “an incredible scientist, colleague, mentor, and friend,” and the university community has mourned his loss.
Investigation and Community Reaction
Investigators continue to interview witnesses and review Valente’s life and records as they seek motive. On Brown’s campus—closed early after the shooting—students and faculty have expressed shock and sorrow; authorities and university officials have urged anyone with additional information to come forward. Local support efforts have included services for first responders and counseling for students and staff.
Note: Authorities have released limited information as the probe remains active. This article summarizes official statements and reporting on the known timeline and academic connections being investigated.
