Methuen, Massachusetts:
The suspect linked to the deadly Brown University shooting has been found dead, reportedly from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, according to multiple US media reports. Law enforcement officials confirmed that the extensive manhunt for the suspect has officially ended.
In a statement shared by the Methuen Police Department, authorities said all law enforcement operations in the area have concluded. “We are confident that there is no ongoing threat to the safety of Methuen residents or the public,” the department noted, adding that a significant police presence would remain at the scene for several hours as investigators collect evidence.
The suspect was last seen outside a storage facility in Salem, New Hampshire, prompting a heavy deployment of local, state and federal law enforcement agencies. Officials believed the suspect was hiding inside one of the storage units, where an abandoned vehicle linked to the case was later discovered.
Authorities were expected to address the media at a press conference shortly after the operation concluded, NBC News reported.
How investigators tracked the suspect
The December 13 shooting at Brown University left two people dead and triggered a massive manhunt involving the FBI. The breakthrough in the case came after the fatal shooting of MIT professor Nuno Loureiro at his home in Brookline, Massachusetts.
According to CNN, investigators probing Loureiro’s killing noticed striking similarities between the suspect’s vehicle and the car linked to the Brown University shooting. Although the license plates did not initially match, further investigation revealed that the plates had been swapped — a tactic that helped the suspect evade capture for days.
A witness had earlier provided authorities with a license plate number connected to the Brown University shooting. When police traced the vehicle’s ownership and movement history, they discovered it was the same car involved in Loureiro’s death. This crucial connection led officers to Salem, New Hampshire.
After a license plate reader flagged the vehicle, law enforcement officers quickly surrounded the area near the storage unit. The car was found abandoned, strengthening suspicions that the suspect was hiding nearby.
Planned evasion tactics
A law enforcement official told CNN that the suspect appeared to have carefully planned his escape. He reportedly avoided surveillance cameras and facial recognition systems by disguising his appearance and switching license plates.
Investigators noted that these tactics resembled those used by Luigi Mangione, who was accused of killing UnitedHealthcare’s CEO in Manhattan, suggesting a deliberate effort to remain undetected.
With the suspect now dead, authorities say the immediate threat has ended, though investigations into the shootings and possible motives remain ongoing.