Police have secured an arrest warrant for a suspect in the mass shooting at Brown University that claimed two lives and left nine others injured, sources close to the investigation have revealed to CBS News, the BBC’s US partner.

Authorities are currently searching for the individual and a rented vehicle believed to be connected to the suspect. The suspect’s identity has not yet been released to the public.

The investigation has broadened to explore a potential link between the Brown University shooting and the murder of a Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) professor two days later.

The manhunt is now in its sixth day, with investigators meticulously canvassing neighbourhoods, reviewing home security footage, and appealing to the public for any information that could lead to the gunman’s capture.

A scheduled news conference by Providence, Rhode Island police on Thursday afternoon was cancelled, but officials assured the public an update would be provided later in the day.

On Thursday, CBS News sources indicated that investigators are examining possible connections between the Brown shooting and the death of Nuno F Gomes Loureiro, 47, a nuclear science and engineering professor at MIT. Professor Loureiro, originally from Portugal, was shot multiple times at his home in Brookline, Massachusetts, approximately 80 kilometres from Providence.

According to sources, police have obtained an arrest warrant and a rental car matching the description seen at both crime scenes has been identified. Initially, federal authorities stated there was no connection between the two incidents.

Late Thursday night, officials were searching an area near a storage facility in Salem, New Hampshire, after a vehicle potentially linked to the suspect was discovered in the city, about 32 kilometres north of Boston, CBS News reports.

On Wednesday, authorities released a photograph of an individual they believe was near their primary person of interest, hoping to gather further leads.

Providence Police Chief Oscar Perez stated they are keen to speak with this individual, as they may possess crucial information regarding the investigation. “We dont know where the person is or who he is,” the Chief added, acknowledging the difficulty in locating the suspect.

Prior to that, police shared footage of a person of interest walking on the Brown University campus wearing a black mask, potentially surveying the area before the shooting, Chief Perez explained.

The public has voiced growing frustration with the perceived lack of progress in the investigation. Responding to these concerns, Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Neronha expressed confidence that the perpetrator would be apprehended, stating, “it is just a matter of time before we catch him.”

The FBI is offering a reward of $50,000 (approximately GH₵735,000) for information leading to the identification, arrest, and conviction of the individual responsible for the attack.

The shooting took place at Brown University’s Barus & Holley engineering building during final examinations. The victims have been identified as Ella Cook, a sophomore from Alabama, and Mukhammad Aziz Umurzokov, an Uzbek-American freshman student.

Image Source: MYJOYONLINE