An anonymous tipster on the social media platform Reddit has been credited by authorities as the pivotal figure who helped crack a major investigation into a series of fatal shootings at two prestigious American universities.
The Tip That Cracked the Case
Providence police in Rhode Island were struggling to identify a suspect after a gunman fired more than 40 rounds inside a Brown University engineering building on Saturday, 13 December 2025. The attack, which killed two students, sent waves of anxiety through the community. The investigation gained crucial momentum six days later, on Wednesday, 18 December, thanks to information from a source known only as "John" in a police affidavit.
Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Neronha stated the information provided by John directly resulted in locating the suspected gunman, who was found dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound late on Thursday, 19 December. "He blew this case right open," Neronha said. "When you crack it, you crack it."
From Online Forum to FBI Lead
According to official documents, John had several strange encounters with 48-year-old Claudio Neves Valente before the Brown attack. When police released images of a person of interest, John took to Reddit, writing that he recognised the individual. He theorised that investigators should look for a "possibly a rental" grey Nissan. Other users urged him to contact the FBI, which he did.
The police affidavit confirms authorities received this critical tip on 16 December, three days after the initial shooting and just one day after a dedicated tip line was established. Up until that point, investigators had not connected any vehicle to the potential shooter. This detail allowed Providence police to scour footage from a network of over 70 street cameras operated by Flock Safety, leading them to a Nissan Sentra with Florida plates.
The Chilling Encounters Before the Attack
John provided investigators with chilling additional context. He reported encountering Neves Valente in the bathroom of the Brown engineering building just hours before the shooting, noting the man's clothing was "inappropriate and inadequate for the weather." Later, mere blocks from the building, John saw Neves Valente outside and witnessed him "suddenly" turn away from the Nissan upon making eye contact.
What followed was described in John's testimony as a "game of cat and mouse," with the two crossing paths multiple times, each instance causing Neves Valente to run away. At one point, John shouted, "Your car is back there, why are you circling the block?" to which the suspect replied, "I don’t know you from nobody," and repeatedly asked, "Why are you harassing me?"
John eventually walked away after seeing Neves Valente return to the sedan. The suspect is also believed to have gunned down a Massachusetts Institute of Technology professor in his Brookline, Massachusetts home on Monday, 15 December.
On Wednesday night, John returned to Reddit to state, "Respectfully, I have said all I have to say on the matter to the right people." It remains unclear if he will receive the $50,000 reward offered by the FBI for information on the Brown shooting, though Special Agent in Charge Ted Docks indicated it was a logical possibility.
