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How 'John' the Homeless Guy Solved the Brown University Shooting

Matt Vespa
Matt Vespa  |  December 19, 2025 6:50 AM

The Brown University shooting saga is over. It’s done. The suspect, Claudio Neves Valente, 48, a Portuguese national, was found dead of a self-inflicted gunshot wound in Salem, New Hampshire. He was wanted for the December 13 shooting at the university, where two people were killed, and another nine were injured. Authorities also confirmed he was the suspect in the shooting death of MIT professor Nuno F.G. Loureiro at his home in Brookline, Massachusetts. The same Nissan Sentra was used for both crimes; Valente changed the license plates.  

He came to the United States to attend Brown on a student visa. He gained permanent legal status in September 2017. On December 13, he entered the Barus and Holley Building, Brown’s engineering building, and opened fire on students during a study session. He later returned to Massachusetts, spent two days there before killing Professor Loureiro, whom the suspect knew as they were former classmates in Lisbon. After killing Loureiro, he drove to Salem to a storage facility, where he rented a unit since November. He didn’t commit suicide in his unit, however, but in another unit, with two firearms found on his person. When Valente killed himself is yet to be determined, but it did seem like authorities were not convinced he did so yesterday. Why wasn’t he able to be tracked? He used a Google phone with specific apps and possibly European SIM cards, making it virtually impossible to track his location. Valente knew how to cover his tracks. 

Officials from Rhode Island and Massachusetts held press conferences last night. U.S. Attorney Leah Foley delivered the one about the Brookline shooting:

A homeless man named “John” apparently is the real hero here. He cracked the case wide open, confronted the shooter, got his description, and that of his car. He’s also the person who posted on Reddit, which essentially solved the case. After the second person of interest 'in proximity' to the suspect was released, this person came forward and cooperated fully, which led to Valente being found:

 Claudio Manuel Neves Valente Affidavit  by  Matt Vespa 

There are still many unanswered questions. The motivation is the most glaring. Thus far, authorities don’t think antisemitism was a factor and believe Valente acted alone. As for what he shouted before the attack, numerous witnesses claimed he said, ‘Allahu Akbar.’ Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Neronha again refused to clarify, playing the ‘I know nothing’ card again. Also, please stop inviting Brown University President Christina Paxson to these pressers. Have someone else from the school do this, because this was painful to hear. She still can’t answer questions about the lack of cameras. 

Also, Fox News’ Brooke Taylor added this about “John.” It’s excellent that he had information on Valente, but his story also highlighted a serious security concern on campus. “John” admitted to sleeping in the basement of the engineering building. That’s how he encountered Valente. He’s also reportedly an alumnus of the school:  

Shocking details that further reveal security issues at Brown University. Why is a homeless man sleeping in the basement of the school building?  

A homeless guy and former Brown graduate helped police crack the case. But there is more to the story.  

According to my sources, the homeless guy told police he sleeps in the basement of the Barus and Holley building. Earlier in the day, before the shooting, he said he saw the suspect in the basement area and followed him out. 

 As the homeless guy is trying approach the suspect, he sees him walk toward his car and unlock it. But then he locks it, when he  noticed the homeless guy.  

After the shooting, the homeless man posted on Reddit saying, “I’m being dead serious. The police need to look into a grey Nissan with Florida plates, possibly a rental.” The post went on to say, “I know because he used his key fob to open the car, approached it and then something prompted him to back away. When he backed away, he relocked the car. I found that odd so when he circled the block I approached the car that is when I saw the Florida plates.” 

It was that Reddit post that eventually led police to the shooters car picked up on Flock cameras (police just put in a car description and can track cars captured on flock cameras). 

While police credit this man for cracking this case— it still begs the question of what kind of security measures are in place at the Ivy League school, that a homeless person could just be sleeping in basement

Prayers to the families of Ella Cook and Mukhammad Aziz Umurzokov, the two students Valente killed at Brown.