Former classmate says suspect in Brown, MIT killings was ‘socially awkward’ and ‘angry’ during college years

A erstwhile classmate of the fishy successful the deadly Brown University shooting — and the consequent sidesplitting of an MIT prof — remembers him arsenic being "socially awkward" and "angry" during his years connected campus.

Scott Watson, present a physics prof astatine Syracuse University, told Fox News helium attended Brown with Claudio Manuel Neves-Valente successful 2000 and described himself arsenic his "only friend" astatine the time. Watson said the Portuguese nationalist often complained astir beingness successful the U.S. and astatine the university.

"During his clip astatine Brown, I was fundamentally his lone friend. He was socially awkward, and truthful was I, which I deliberation is wherefore we connected," Watson said. "During predisposition helium was sitting alone, and I walked up and said hello. He was terse astatine first, but we yet broke the crystal and became close."

WHO WAS NUNO LOUREIRO? MIT PROFESSOR GUNNED DOWN IN APARTMENT NEAR UNIVERSITY

Neves-Valente, 48, was precocious identified arsenic the fishy successful the Dec. 13 Brown University wide shooting, which near 2 students dormant and 9 others injured. (Justice Department)

Watson said Neves-Valente often expressed vexation with his coursework, claiming the classes astatine Brown were excessively casual for him.

"He often complained astir moving to the United States and astir the university," Watson said. "He would accidental the classes were excessively casual — honestly, for him, they were. He already knew astir of the worldly and was genuinely impressive."

Even field nutrient was a root of irritation for Neves-Valente, according to Watson.

"I retrieve him getting irritated astir the prime of nutrient connected campus, particularly the deficiency of high-quality fish," helium said.

Watson besides recalled Neves-Valente's troubling behaviour toward different student.

"We had different classmate that Claudio would insult and telephone him his slave. I had to interruption up a combat once," Watson said. 

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A divided representation shows Claudio Neves-Valente, identified arsenic the fishy successful the Brown University shooting, wearing the aforesaid overgarment arsenic a antheral identified earlier arsenic a idiosyncratic of involvement successful the case. (Providence Police Department)

However, Watson said determination were besides moments erstwhile Neves-Valente seemed much calm.

"I person genuinely fond memories of dinners with him astatine a section Portuguese edifice adjacent campus," helium said. "There is simply a assemblage there. He could beryllium benignant and gentle, though helium often became frustrated — sometimes aggravated — astir courses, professors and surviving conditions."

The 2 past spoke erstwhile Neves-Valente decided to permission Brown, Watson said.

"The past clip I spoke with him, we walked to his flat and I tried to person him not to leave. He refused, and that was the past clip I heard from him," helium said. "He told maine helium was returning to Portugal, though it present appears that whitethorn not person been the case."

HUNT FOR BROWN UNIVERSITY KILLER HANDICAPPED BY SECURITY LAPSES, CAMPUS BUDGET CUTS

A instrumentality enforcement authoritative walks past articles of covering connected a sidewalk adjacent an entranceway to Brown University, Saturday, Dec. 13, 2025, successful Providence, Rhode Island, during the probe of a shooting. (Steven Senne/AP Photo)

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Neves-Valente, 48, was precocious identified arsenic the fishy successful the Dec. 13 Brown University wide shooting, which near 2 students dormant and 9 others injured.

Authorities aboriginal confirmed helium was besides the fishy successful the Dec. 15 fatal shooting of MIT atomic subject prof Nuno F.G. Loureiro, who was recovered changeable astatine his location successful Brookline, Massachusetts.

According to Brown University President Christina Paxson, Neves-Valente was a Portuguese nationalist and erstwhile Brown pupil who studied physics from the autumn of 2000 done the outpouring of 2001 earlier withdrawing from the programme successful 2003. He had nary caller affiliation with the assemblage astatine the clip of the shooting connected campus.

"I americium shocked this has occurred," Watson said.

FOX News' Jennifer Johnson, Brooke Taylor and Stepheny Price contributed to this report.