PROVIDENCE, R.I. — Brown University student Ref Barin was inside the physics and engineering building last weekend when a gunman opened fire on campus.
“He was in my major, physics and even worse to top it all of he was a physics grad student,” Barin told Boston 25 News as he spoke about the gunman, now identified as 48-year-old Claudio Neves Valente. Valente is also a former Brown grad student.
“January 21 is the first day of spring semester. So, Brown has about a month to essentially secure the campus and make everyone feel safe enough to return,” said Barin.
Barin says keeping mental health resources at the forefront and adding security protocol to the Barus and Holley building should be the university’s focus.
Although he says he is looking forward to returning to campus, he says there’s a long healing journey ahead.
“There’s going to be a lot of hard conversations, there’s going to be a lot of tough things, emotionally, psychologically that everyone has to deal with,” said Barin. “Do I wish that he could be rotting in a jail cell or getting the worst kind of punishment the law can offer right now of course I wish that, but reality is I guess much more complicated and we’re all just glad that this has come to an end.”
The Office for Victims of Crime website has a list of resources available to the community, including Mental Health, Well-Being, and Immediate and Spiritual Support services.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.
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