PROVIDENCE, R.I. — The City of Providence on Friday released an independent review of its response to the mass shooting at Brown University on Dec. 13, 2025, concluding that city agencies responded effectively during one of the most challenging emergencies in the city’s history.
The review, conducted by the Police Executive Research Forum, found that Providence police, firefighters, emergency medical personnel, dispatchers and emergency management officials acted decisively despite incomplete information and met or exceeded key benchmarks for active shooter and hostile event responses.
City leaders said the report highlighted the professionalism and bravery of first responders while also identifying areas to strengthen emergency operations.
“We asked for an independent review because the people of Providence deserve an honest assessment of how their city responded to an unprecedented tragedy,” Mayor Brett Smiley said in a statement. “The findings affirm that our police officers, firefighters, emergency medical personnel, dispatchers, emergency management professionals and other City employees responded with courage, urgency and professionalism when our community needed them most.”
The shooting killed two Brown University students and injured nine others, leaving a lasting impact on the university community and the city.
Review highlights emergency response
According to the report, Providence agencies responded to a rapidly evolving situation involving an active threat, multiple victims, thousands of emergency calls and a large-scale multiagency operation while the suspect remained at large.
Police immediately focused on locating the shooter, evacuating victims and providing emergency aid.
“Those first minutes were about one thing, saving lives,” Providence Police Chief Col. Oscar Perez said. “Our officers went toward the danger, searched for the shooter, evacuated victims and immediately began providing aid and getting injured victims to the hospital for urgent medical care.”
The Providence Fire Department coordinated medical treatment, rescues and evacuations, while the city’s Telecommunications Department handled more than 2,000 emergency calls and managed high-volume radio traffic among multiple agencies. The Providence Emergency Management Agency coordinated resources and established a Family Reunification Center for students and families.
Investigation called “exemplary”
PERF also praised the investigation that followed the shooting, describing the work of Providence police detectives as “exemplary.”
Investigators relied on multiple sources of evidence, including surveillance video, witness interviews, license plate reader data, vehicle rental records, cellphone information and assistance from federal agencies.
After ruling out an early lead, investigators reexamined evidence, conducted additional canvassing and centralized tip management efforts. Authorities eventually identified a vehicle connected to the shooter and, with the help of federal financial investigators, traced the suspect to a storage facility in Salem, New Hampshire.
The suspect was found dead on Dec. 18, 2025.
Areas for improvement identified
While commending the response, PERF outlined several recommendations aimed at strengthening future large-scale emergency responses.
Among the recommendations:
- Expanding the police department’s Real-Time Crime Center partnerships and camera integrations
- Creating a more structured system for managing mutual aid resources
- Improving public tip management during major investigations
- Strengthening interoperable communications among agencies
- Enhancing coordination of patient transportation during mass casualty incidents
- Expanding joint police, fire and EMS active threat training
- Improving emergency notification systems and public messaging
- Clarifying multiagency information-sharing responsibilities
Changes already underway
City officials emphasized that Providence began implementing improvements months before the PERF review was completed.
Following an after-action directive issued by Smiley in January, departments launched internal reviews and began making operational changes.
Actions already completed or underway include upgraded mutual aid tracking systems, deployment of a new CodeRED emergency notification platform, improvements to mobile command and field communications equipment, expanded emergency preparedness training with schools, and increased collaboration between police, fire and EMS agencies.
Providence has also supported the creation of the Ever Hope Center, a resiliency and recovery center providing counseling, care coordination and long-term support services for those affected by the shooting.
City officials said the next phase will focus on implementing PERF’s recommendations in partnership with local, regional and university stakeholders.
“The purpose of this work was always to learn,” Smiley said. “We are going to build on what worked, address what can be improved and continue preparing for the incidents we hope never happen.”
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