Fear Inside the Dorms: New Jersey Students Describe Lockdown Terror After Brown University Shooting
On Saturday afternoon, Brown University students fled and families sought answers following a tragic incident. The college lockdown after the violence caused New Jersey students hours of anxiety.
The midday incident occurred as many students were studying, napping, or preparing for examinations. A regular day was changed by campus phone emergency notifications of an active shooter. Authorities reported two deaths and nine injuries. The news spread swiftly, scaring dorm and academic students.
A 20-year-old Frenchtown student was completing a final exam in her dorm when the notifications came in. Mood changed in minutes. Unsure of what was happening outside, she turned off the lights, pushed furniture against the door, and locked herself in the bathroom. She stayed still for hours, listening to every sound, fearing gunshots.
Students on campus shared similar experiences. Many hid in restrooms, closets, or behind desks while texting family to confirm survival. Some students feared not knowing where the shooter was or if the threat was ended. Police, sirens, and emergency warnings caused tension and confusion.
University administrators guarded the campus and told students to stay put while police arrived. Police inspected buildings and halted lessons for safety. Students quietly emerged from lockdown after officials contained the immediate threat.
New Jersey students studying abroad felt the emotional toll most. Many said they heard their parents’ worries in calls and texts. In an unlikely situation at an intellectual college, families fear about their children’s safety.
Brown University offered student counseling and mental health services after the tragedy. University officials conveyed their condolences to victims and their families and stressed campus safety. Police confirmed the investigation and expect more details.
The shooting raised US college security and gun violence concerns anew. The anxious hours will stick with those students. Even in guarded places, lockdown panic affected student campus safety perceptions.
As the community heals, students, faculty, and families mourn the dead and worry about the injured. New Jersey teens locked up show how rapidly violence can disrupt daily life and distract pupils from school.
Sources:
Brown University official statements
Local law enforcement authorities
Student eyewitness accounts shared with media
