20-year grudge led to Brown mass shooting, MIT professor’s murder: Report

Jan 07, 2026 at 09:30 AM CST

Video transcripts released show the man accused of killing two Brown University students and an MIT professor planned it for a "long time." — Image credit: AP Photo/Reba Saldanha

Summary

Video transcripts released

The U.S. attorney's office in Massachusetts released transcripts of videos recorded by late Brown University shooting suspect Claudio Neves Valente on Tuesday.

Insight but no motive

The transcripts showed he planned the attack for a "long time" and that the school was the intended target, but gave no clear motive for that or the subsequent murder of an MIT professor.

The victims

Authorities say Neves Valente shot and killed Brown University students Ella Cook and Mukhammad Aziz Umurzokov and wounded 9 others, as well as killing MIT physics professor Nuno Loureiro.

Full story

A longtime grudge appears to be part of the reason the man accused of killing two Brown University students and an MIT professor, according to federal officials. They released transcripts from videos the suspect left behind.

Videos provide insight

Federal prosecutors say the suspect, Claudio Neves Valente, left behind a series of short confession videos before he was found dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound inside a New Hampshire storage unit last month.

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According to the U.S. attorney’s office in Massachusetts, Neves Valente said he had been planning the shooting for a “long time.” He also identified Brown University, where he attended school in the early 2000s, as his intended target.

According to the transcripts, which the Justice Department had to translate into English from Neves Valente’s native language of Portuguese, he said, “I had plenty of opportunities, especially this semester … but I always chickened out.”

In a statement, prosecutors said, “Neves Valente showed no remorse during the recordings; on the contrary, he exposed his true nature when he blamed innocent, unarmed children for their deaths at his hand and grumbled about a self-inflicted injury he suffered when he shot the MIT professor at close range.”

Motive still unknown

Prosecutors say that in the videos reviewed so far, Neves Valente did not offer a clear motive for targeting the school, where he killed Ella Cook, 19, and Mukhammad Aziz Umurzokov, 18. They say he also did not give a specific reason for the killing of MIT physics professor Nuno Loureiro.

However, law enforcement sources told ABC News that in the videos, Neves Valente did describe 20-year grudges that led him to buy guns and carry out the New England shootings.

Prosecutors say the search for a motive is not over. And according to ABC News’ report, the sources said there are still additional devices law enforcement has yet to access.

Shea Taylor

Shea Taylor is a producer at Straight Arrow News. She helps produce Unbiased Updates to bring viewers the news they need to start their day.

Tags: abc news, Brown University, Crime, Department of Justice, Gun violence, Guns, Law enforcement, Mass shootings, Massachusetts, Murder, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, shooting

Speaker 0 00:00:02 The man accused of killing two Brown University students and an MIT professor had been holding what prosecutors now call a lengthy grudge. Federal prosecutors say The suspect, Claudio Neves Valente left behind a series of short confession videos before he was found dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound inside a New Hampshire storage unit. Last month, according to the US Attorney’s office, Nevis Valente said he had been planning the shooting for a long time and identified Brown University where he attended school in the early two thousands as his intended target. Prosecutors say he never clearly explained his motive, nor did he offer a specific reason for the killing of MIT physics. Professor Nuno Rero. In his statement, prosecutors said Nevis Valente showed no remorse writing. He exposed his true nature when he blamed innocent unarmed children for their deaths at his hand and grumbled about a self-inflicted injury he suffered when he shot the MIT professor at close range.

Why this story matters

The release of confession videos and transcripts by federal officials sheds new light on the motives and planning behind a series of fatal shootings involving two Brown University students and an MIT professor, highlighting ongoing concerns about campus safety and violence.

Confession evidence

According to the U.S. attorney's office, the suspect left behind videos admitting to the shootings and describing long-term planning, providing insight into his mindset and actions before the incidents.

Law enforcement investigation

Federal prosecutors and law enforcement officials are still searching for a clear motive and continue to review additional evidence, reflecting the complexity of understanding mass violence cases.

Campus safety concerns

The shootings at Brown University and the death of an MIT professor raise important questions about the security of educational institutions and the broader societal issues related to gun violence.

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Sources

Bias comparison

Media outlets on the left emphasize the "mass shooting" and "planned attack for months," framing the perpetrator as a "shooter who killed" driven by a "lengthy grudge.
While all perspectives align on the video confessions and lack of remorse, the right also details "nine others injured" and the shooter being a "former Brown student," de-emphasized elsewhere.
Media outlets in the center maintain a neutral tone, simply stating "motive revealed" or "gunman recorded videos.
Media outlets on the right employ highly emotive terms like "Cold-blooded" and "carnage," focusing on the shooter's "no remorse" and "chilling" confession, often highlighting quotes like "I'm an Animal and Trump Too."

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Media landscape

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Key points from the Left

Claudio Neves Valente, 48, planned the attacks for at least six semesters, according to information released by the U.S. Department of Justice.
Valente killed two Brown University students and an MIT professor on Dec. 13 and Dec. 15, respectively.
During recordings found by the FBI, Valente stated he had nothing to apologize for and described his actions as "a little incompetent."
He did not provide a clear motive for targeting the victims, stating that his "only objective was to leave more or less" on his "own terms."

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Key points from the Center

U.S. Department of Justice released translated transcripts Tuesday of videos made by Neves Valente, which the DOJ said show he expressed no remorse and offered little insight into his motives.
U.S. Attorney Leah B. Foley released transcripts Tuesday translating Portuguese recordings by Claudio Manuel Neves Valente, and DOJ said they contain his admissions that he planned the Brown University attack for at least six semesters and left around 25 confessional videos on a seized electronic device from a Salem storage facility.
In the videos, the shooter mocked victims and described injuries, with Neves Valente saying "To say that I was extraordinarily satisfied, no, but I also don't regret what I did" in translated excerpts.
Investigators said the shootings killed two students and an MIT professor and wounded nine others, while federal investigators and prosecutors said there is no known ongoing public threat.
Despite the recordings, investigators say motive remains unclear; Neves Valente targeted Brown and Nuno F.G. Loureiro, an MIT professor, though he arrived about 25 years ago and gained legal permanent residence in September 2017.

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Key points from the Right

Claudio Neves Valente admitted to planning the mass shootings at Brown University for over six semesters, according to transcripts and video recordings released by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Massachusetts.
Valente killed two students at Brown University and fatally shot MIT Professor Nuno Loureiro two days later, injuring nine others in the first incident, as reported by authorities.
After a week-long manhunt, Valente was found dead in a storage unit in New Hampshire from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, indicating his intentions revealed in recorded videos.
Valente expressed no remorse for his actions, stating, "I am not going to apologize, because during my lifetime no one sincerely apologized to me."

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