President Donald Trump outraged critics after he remarked on the shooting at Brown University that left two people dead and nine more injured, describing the shooting in mundane terms—"things can happen," he said.
On Saturday, a shooter opened fire on campus, killing two students and wounding nine others. Authorities identified the deceased as Ella Cook, a second-year student from Alabama, and Mukhammad Aziz Umurzokov, an Uzbek national in his first year of studies.
The shooting is one of at least 392 mass shootings reported in the U.S. so far this year, according to the Gun Violence Archive. Monday was the 349th day of 2025. Authorities are currently searching for the shooter. A person of interest detained in connection with the attack was released late Sunday.
Trump, speaking at the White House Christmas reception, praised Brown as a “great school, really one of the greatest schools anywhere in the world" but then offered the following observation:
“Things can happen, so to the nine injured, get well fast. And to the families of those two who are no longer with us, I pay my deepest regards and respects from the United States of America. Thank you very much. It’s a very important thing to say. And we mean it.”
You can hear Trump's remarks in the video below.
California Governor Gavin Newsom—whose profile has risen considerably in recent months due to his forceful criticism and mockery of the Trump administration—said there are "no words" for Trump's response.
Trump was swiftly criticized for his callous and unfeeling response.
The manhunt for the shooter is ongoing. Brett Smiley, the mayor of Providence, said the shooting "is likely to cause fresh anxiety for our community."
Smiley added that "we believe that you remain safe in our community, though we will continue to have an enhanced police presence throughout the city and on the Brown campus.”
Earlier, he urged residents to trust only official sources after Trump shared misinformation on social media about the shooting. Trump claimed the shooter was in custody, claiming he'd been "briefed" on the event. He later acknowledged the shooter was in custody—though he did not delete his original post.
