Brown University Student Recounts Hearing Gunshots and Fleeing Campus

Initial Gunshots and Confusion

• 💡 As a physics master's student at Brown University, Ref Bari was leaving his office when he first heard what sounded like gunshots.
• 🎯 Initially, he dismissed the sounds as not being gunshots, especially since the lobby area he walked through was empty, and he didn't want to cause panic among the 100 students in the adjacent commons area.
• 🔊 After a brief pause, the sounds repeated, confirming for him that they were indeed gunshots, prompting him to flee.

Evacuation and Seeking Shelter

• 🏃 Bari describes a "mass scramble" as approximately 100 students tried to exit the building through limited exits after the second series of shots.
• 📣 Once outside, he yelled "active shooter" to alert others, including those in the science library.
• 🤝 He encountered another student, Ali, on the street and, despite not knowing her, asked if he could hide with her, an offer she accepted.
• 🔒 They remained locked in Ali's bathroom for two hours until it was safe.

University Response and Sense of Safety

• ⚠️ Bari acknowledges an "inevitable sense of concern" among students, especially knowing the shooter was in close proximity.
• 💖 He notes that Brown University has deployed significant resources, including support from the psychological and counseling centers, to aid the student body.
• ✅ The university's efforts are seen as a demonstration of care during a difficult time.