Reddit Tip Leads to Identification of Brown University Shooter, Suspect Found Dead

A tip posted on Reddit by an anonymous source named \”John\” helped Providence police identify the suspect behind the Brown University shooting and the subsequent murder of an MIT professor.\n\n## Identification of the Suspect\n\nPolice announced late Thursday that the suspected gunman, 48‑year‑old Claudio Manuel Neves Valente, was found dead from a self‑inflicted gunshot wound. The information that led to the discovery came from the tipster, who had several encounters with Neves Valente before Saturday’s attack.\n\n## How the Tip Worked\n\nJohn first posted on Reddit after Providence police released images of a person of interest. He recognized the man and suggested that law‑enforcement look into a “possibly a rental” grey Nissan. Reddit users urged him to contact the FBI, and John complied.\n\nPolice learned of the tip on Dec. 16, three days after the shooting and a day after the tip line was created. Until that point, officials had not connected a vehicle to the possible shooter.\n\nThe tip led investigators to obtain video of a Nissan Sentra sedan with Florida plates and to tap into a network of more than 70 street cameras operated by Flock Safety.\n\n## Encounters with Neves Valente\n\nAccording to the affidavit, John encountered Neves Valente in the engineering building’s bathroom just hours before the attack, noting the suspect’s clothing was “inappropriate and inadequate for the weather.” He later bumped into the man outside, near the building, where Neves Valente suddenly turned from the Nissan when he saw John. The two then engaged in a “game of cat and mouse.”\n\nJohn shouted, “Your car is back there, why are you circling the block?” The suspect replied, “I don’t know you from nobody,” and repeatedly asked, “Why are you harassing me?” John eventually saw Neves Valente approach the Nissan again and decided to walk away.\n\n## Statements from Officials\n\nRhode Island Attorney General Peter Neronha praised the tip, saying, \”He blew this case right open,\” and added, \”When you crack it, you crack it.\”\n\nBrown University President Christina Paxson noted that the alleged shooter had been a student at the school years ago and would have attended classes in the building where the shooting occurred.\n\nThe FBI’s special agent in charge, Ted Docks, said the tipster could be entitled to the $50,000 reward offered for information about the Brown shooting. “It would be logical to think that, absolutely, that individual would be entitled to that,” he said.\n\n## Key Takeaways\n\n- A Reddit tip by an anonymous source led to the identification of Brown University shooter Claudio Manuel Neves Valente.\n- Police found the suspect dead from a self‑inflicted gunshot wound a week after the shooting.\n- The FBI is considering awarding the $50,000 reward to the tipster.\n\nThe case underscores how digital footprints and timely tips can aid law‑enforcement investigations in high‑profile incidents.