Governor McKee Issues Letter to Rhode Island Community in Wake of Deadly Shooting at Brown University

Published on Sunday, December 14, 2025

PROVIDENCE, RI — Today, Governor Dan McKee issued the following letter to Rhode Islanders in the wake of the deadly shooting at Brown University this weekend:

“Right now, our community is in pain.

Every year, emergency responders and students drill for the unthinkable—a shooting at our schools. Yesterday, that action became all too real when a gunman opened fire on a classroom of innocent Brown University students.

The State, the City of Providence, and Brown University are working with Family Service of Rhode Island, which has set up both a crisis line and a drop-in center so that anyone in the community who is struggling with yesterday’s events can stop in and talk to a caring professional. The crisis line is (401) 854-6678. The drop-in center is located at 55 Hope Street and is open from 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. today (Sunday) and 8:30 a.m. - 5 p.m. next week (Monday-Friday). 

I am not just the Governor. I am a Rhode Islander. I am a parent and a grandparent. I cannot fathom the depth of fear, and in some cases, grief the families of those students are experiencing today.

What I do know is that local, state, and federal law enforcement, emergency responders, and Mayor Smiley’s team have worked heroically to manage a dangerous situation, investigate this heinous crime, and keep the greater Brown University community safe from further incident. We are deeply grateful for their work.

As a lifelong Rhode Islander, it comes as no surprise to me that when a crisis occurs, we pull together to help and, in time, heal. Please know that we are here to support the students, families, faculty, and Providence community.”

Additional resources are available to all those impacted by this tragedy.