{"id":2523511,"date":"2025-12-20T08:34:02","date_gmt":"2025-12-20T13:34:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/how-1-anonymous-reddit-sleuth-helped-police-identify-the-brown-university-shooter\/"},"modified":"2025-12-20T08:36:01","modified_gmt":"2025-12-20T13:36:01","slug":"how-1-anonymous-reddit-sleuth-helped-police-identify-the-brown-university-shooter","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/how-1-anonymous-reddit-sleuth-helped-police-identify-the-brown-university-shooter\/","title":{"rendered":"How 1 Anonymous Reddit Sleuth Helped Police Identify the Brown University Shooter"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">24<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fhow-1-anonymous-reddit-sleuth-helped-police-identify-the-brown-university-shooter%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2523511&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>A tipster known only as &#8220;John&#8221; played a crucial role in helping police identify the suspect behind a shooting at Brown University that killed two students, as well as the subsequent killing of an MIT professor in Massachusetts. After the shooter,48-year-old Claudio Neves Valente,fired more than 40 rounds inside a Brown <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/university-police-in-colorado-investigating-homicide-at-dorms\/\" title=\"Colorado university ... investigating dormitory homicide\">engineering building<\/a>,the Providence community was anxious as authorities struggled to identify the attacker. John&#8217;s information, including descriptions of encounters wiht Neves Valente before the attack and details about a gray Nissan Sentra tied to the suspect, helped police connect the vehicle to the crime and access surveillance footage from city cameras. John also shared observations about the suspect&#8217;s behaviour and appearance shortly before the shooting.Thanks to these tip-offs, police located Neves Valente, who was later found dead from a self<a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/8-injured-1-suspect-in-custody-following-shooting-at-philadelphia-transportation-station\/\" title=\"8 injured, 1 ... in custody following ... at Philadelphia transportation station\">-inflicted gunshot wound<\/a>.Authorities praised John for breaking open the case, and while it is not confirmed, he may be eligible for a $50,000 FBI reward for information on the Brown shooting.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<section> \t\t\t\t<script>console.log(\"ad slot (AC1)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (IC1)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (IC2)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (IC3)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (IC4)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (REP_0)\")<\/script><\/p>\n<p>Information from a tipster who had a strange encounter with another man on a sidewalk outside Brown University was key to police identifying the suspect they believe killed two students at the school and then two days later gunned down a Massachusetts Institute of Technology professor.<\/p>\n<p>Known only as &ldquo;John&rdquo; in a Providence police affidavit, the source is being hailed by investigators as the key figure who <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >gave law enforcement<\/a> the details needed to determine who was behind the Brown shooting, as well as the killing of a Massachusetts Institute of Technology professor who was shot in his Brookline home Monday.<\/p>\n<p>Ever since a shooter unloaded more than 40 rounds inside a Brown engineering building, anxiety and frustration has plagued the Providence, Rhode Island, community as <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/exclusive-video-capitol-hill-police-ignore-body-of-trump-supporter-either-unconscious-or-dead-outside-capitol-building-on-january-6th\/\" title=\"EXCLUSIVE VIDEO: Capitol Hill ... Ignore Body of Trump Supporter Either Unconscious or Dead Outside Capitol ... on January 6th\">police appeared<\/a> no closer to identifying the person.<\/p>\n<p>Yet on the sixth day of the investigation, the case gathered steam, ending with police announcing late Thursday they had found the suspected gunman dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.<\/p>\n<p>The tipster, John, was the reason why.<\/p>\n<p> <script type=\"text\/javascript\"> \t\t\tif ( getCookie( \"ff_subbed\" ) ) { \t\t\t\tdocument.getElementById(\"stnvideo\").remove() \t\t\t} else { \t\t\t\tdocument.addEventListener(\"DOMContentLoaded\", function() { \t\t\t\t\tfunction loadScript(src) { \t\t\t\t\t\tconst script=document.createElement(\"script\"); \t\t\t\t\t\tscript.src=src; \t\t\t\t\t\tscript.async=true; \t\t\t\t\t\tdocument.body.appendChild(script); \t\t\t\t\t} \t\t\t\t\tfunction findPreviousParagraph(selector, x) { \t\t\t\t\t\tconst targetElement=document.querySelector(selector); \t\t\t\t\t\tif (!targetElement) { \t\t\t\t\t\t\tconsole.warn(\"Target element not found.\"); \t\t\t\t\t\t\treturn null; \t\t\t\t\t\t}  \t\t\t\t\t\t\/\/ Get all <\/p>\n<p> elements in order as they appear in the document \t\t\t\t\t\tlet paragraphs=Array.from(document.querySelectorAll(\"p\"));  \t\t\t\t\t\t\/\/ Find the index of the last <\/p>\n<p> before the target element \t\t\t\t\t\tlet targetIndex=paragraphs.findIndex(p=> p.compareDocumentPosition(targetElement) & Node.DOCUMENT_POSITION_PRECEDING);  \t\t\t\t\t\tif (targetIndex===-1 || targetIndex <x) { \t\t\t\t\t\t\tconsole.warn(\"Not enough paragraphs before the target element.\"); \t\t\t\t\t\t\treturn null; \t\t\t\t\t\t}  \t\t\t\t\t\treturn paragraphs[targetIndex - x]; \t\t\t\t\t}  \t\t\t\t\t\/\/ Set up IntersectionObserver \t\t\t\t\tfunction observeElement(element) { \t\t\t\t\t\tif (!element) return;  \t\t\t\t\t\tconst observer=new IntersectionObserver( \t\t\t\t\t\t\t(entries)=> { \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tentries.forEach(entry=> { \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tif (entry.isIntersecting) { \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tconsole.log(\"Paragraph is now visible:\", entry.target.textContent.trim()); \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tloadScript(\"https:\/\/embed.sendtonews.com\/player3\/embedcode.js?fk=s28Az7AY\"); \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tobserver.disconnect(); \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t} \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t}); \t\t\t\t\t\t\t}, \t\t\t\t\t\t\t{ threshold: 0.5 } \/\/ Adjust threshold as needed \t\t\t\t\t\t);  \t\t\t\t\t\tobserver.observe(element); \t\t\t\t\t}  \t\t\t\t\t\/\/ Find the 1st paragraph before #stnvideo and observe it \t\t\t\t\tlet paragraphToObserve=findPreviousParagraph(\"#stnvideo\", 2); \t\t\t\t\tobserveElement(paragraphToObserve); \t\t\t\t}); \t\t\t} \t\t<\/script> <\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;He blew this case right open,&rdquo; said Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Neronha of the information provided by the individual that resulted in finding the gunman nearly 24 hours later.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;When you crack it, you crack it,&rdquo; he said.<\/p>\n<p>According to police, John had several encounters with 48-year-old Claudio Neves Valente before Saturday&rsquo;s attack. As police posted images of a person of interest &mdash; now identified as Neves Valente &mdash; John began posting on the social media forum Reddit that he recognized the person and theorized that police should look into &ldquo;possibly a rental&rdquo; grey Nissan.<\/p>\n<p>Reddit users urged him to tell the FBI, and John said he did. The police affidavit said they learned about the tip on Dec. 16, three days after the shooting and a day after the tip line was created.<\/p>\n<p>Up until that point, the police affidavit says officials had not connected a vehicle to the possible shooter.<\/p>\n<p>That detail led them to get more video of a Nissan Sentra sedan with Florida plates and enabled Providence police officers to tap into a network of more than 70 street cameras operated around the city by surveillance company Flock Safety.<\/p>\n<p>The affidavit says John gave investigators additional critical details: he encountered Neves Valente in the bathroom of the engineering building just hours before the attack, where John noted the suspect&rsquo;s clothing was &ldquo;inappropriate and inadequate for the weather.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>John also bumped into Neves Valente outside, mere blocks from the building, where John watched Neves Valente &ldquo;suddenly&rdquo; turn around from the Nissan when he saw John.<\/p>\n<p>What ensued was then a &ldquo;game of cat and mouse,&rdquo; according to John&rsquo;s testimony &mdash; where the two would encounter each other and Neves Valente would run away.<\/p>\n<p>At one point, John says he yelled out &ldquo;Your car is back there, why are you circling the block?&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;The Suspect responded, &lsquo;I don&rsquo;t know you from nobody,&rsquo; then Suspect repeatedly asked, &rsquo;Why are you harassing me?&rsquo;&rdquo; according to the affidavit.<\/p>\n<p>John told police he eventually saw Neves Valente approach the Nissan sedan once more and decided to walk away.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Respectfully, I have said all I have to say on the matter to the right people,&rdquo; John wrote on Reddit Wednesday night.<\/p>\n<p>As of Thursday, it&rsquo;s unknown whether John will receive the $50,000 reward the FBI had offered for information about the Brown shooting.<\/p>\n<p>Ted Docks, special agent in charge of the FBI, said it was possible when asked by reporters.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;It would be logical to think that, absolutely, that individual would be entitled to that,&rdquo; he said.<\/p>\n<p>___<\/p>\n<p>Associated Press writer Matt OBrien contributed to this report.<\/p>\n<p style=\"font-style: italic;\">The Western Journal has not reviewed this Associated Press story prior to publication. Therefore, it may contain editorial bias or may in some other way not meet our normal editorial standards. It is provided to our readers as a service from The Western Journal.<\/p>\n<div style=\"position: relative;\">\n<div class=\"ff-fancy-header-container\"> \t\t\t \t<\/div>\n<div class=\"entry-submit-correction inner-content\">\n<div class=\"correction-form\">\n<form style=\"display: none;\">\n<div class=\"sc-name-field\"> \t\t\t\t\t\t<label>* Name<\/label> \t\t\t\t\t\t<br \/> \t\t\t\t\t\t<input type=\"text\" name=\"name\" required> \t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<div class=\"sc--field\"> \t\t\t\t\t\t<label>* <\/label> \t\t\t\t\t\t<br \/> \t\t\t\t\t\t<input type=\"text\" name=\"\" required> \t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<p> \t\t\t\t\t<label>* Message<\/label> \t\t\t\t\t<br \/> \t\t\t\t\t<textarea name=\"message\" required><\/textarea> \t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<div class=\"required-message\" style=\"display: none; padding-bottom: 15px;\">* All fields are required.<\/div>\n<p> \t\t\t\t\t<input type=\"submit\" value=\"Submit\" onclick=\"event.preventDefault(); firefly_sc();\"> \t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<div class=\"firefly-sc-confirm\" style=\"display: none;\">Success!<\/div>\n<\/p><\/form>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p> \t\t<script> \t\t\tfunction firefly_sc() { \t\t\t\tif( typeof window.captchaPublicKey==typeof undefined ){ \t\t\t\t\tconsole.error('window.captchaPublicKey is not defined'); \t\t\t\t} \t\t\t\tgrecaptcha.execute( window.captchaPublicKey, { action: 'submit_correction' } ).then( function( token ) { \t\t\t\t\tvar opts={ \t\t\t\t\t\taction:    'firefly_sc_submit', \t\t\t\t\t\tname:      document.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction [name=\"name\"]' ).value, \t\t\t\t\t\t:     document.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction [name=\"\"]' ).value, \t\t\t\t\t\tmessage:   document.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction [name=\"message\"]' ).value, \t\t\t\t\t\tpost_id:   firefly_post_id, \t\t\t\t\t\tcap_token: token \t\t\t\t\t}  \t\t\t\t\tvar inputs=[ 'name', '', 'message' ];  \t\t\t\t\tfor( var i=0; i <inputs.length; i++ ) if( ! 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