Brown University president Christina H Paxson came under social media fire after the video of her acknowledging that she did not know anything about the mass firing at her university, even six years after the shooting happened, went viral.
At least two people were killed and nine were injured after a gunman went on a rampage at Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island, on Saturday afternoon. A person of interest has been taken into custody but no details have been released yet. Officials said the shooter appeared to be in his 30s and targeted students in a single classroom at the Barus & Holley Engineering. Hours after the shooting, the university president was asked what those students were doing in that classroom — whether they had any exams or not.
But Paxson claimed that she did not know anything about it.
“With all due respect, six hours after the shooting, you said you don’t know what was going on in that classroom? How does that happen? Were they taking an exam?” the president was asked. “That’s very concerning,” the journalist commented. As the video went viral, social media users hounded Paxson and claimed that she is a Dem supporter who hosted Q&A with Hillary Clinton, bestowed honorary degree from Brown yon Nancy Pelosi.
“Paxson, according to report,s had not been in DC since 2023. Paxson was given a 74% raise from $1.7 MILLION in 2022 to $3.2 MILLION in 2023,” a social media post claimed as users asked why there are 816 cameras on the campus and yet nobody has any clue about the shooter.
Paxson issued a statement after the shooting. “This is a deeply tragic day for Brown, our families and our local community,” she said. “There are truly no words that can express the deep sorrow we are feeling for the victims of the shooting that took place today at the Barus & Holley engineering and physics building.”“We lost two community members today who were fatal victims of the shooting, and at this point, we know there are at least eight additional victims who were transported to the hospital,” she added. “In this moment, they are in critical but stable condition, but this is an evolving situation. Our hearts are with their families.”
