{
  "id": "2024-09-25-brown-university-paintball-projectile-assaults",
  "slug": "brown-university-paintball-projectile-assaults-2024-09-25",
  "institution": {
    "name": "Brown University",
    "shortName": "Brown",
    "state": "RI",
    "type": "private-r1",
    "alertSystemName": "Brown Alert",
    "enrollment": 11000
  },
  "incident": {
    "date": "2024-09-25",
    "type": "assault",
    "cleryCategory": "community-notification",
    "resolution": "under-investigation",
    "headline": "Community notice after pedestrians were struck by paintballs",
    "headlinePublic": "Community notice after pedestrians were struck by paintballs",
    "summary": "Brown Public Safety [posted a public notice](https://publicsafety.brown.edu/alerts/community-notification) on 2024-09-25. Full text is preserved from the [official alerts archive](https://publicsafety.brown.edu/alerts/crime-alerts).",
    "outcome": "See the official notice for investigation status and community guidance.",
    "casualties": {
      "killed": 0,
      "injured": 0
    }
  },
  "alerts": [
    {
      "sequence": 1,
      "type": "initial",
      "timestampApprox": "Published on or about 2024-09-25 on the Brown Public Safety alerts archive",
      "channel": "email",
      "verbatimText": "THIS COMMUNICATION IS SENT ON BEHALF OF VICE PRESIDENT FOR PUBLIC SAFETY AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT, RODNEY CHATMAN:\n\nOver the past several days, Brown DPS has responded to multiple incidents in which pedestrians have been struck with non-lethal water-based projectiles or paintballs. In each instance, medical attention was not needed for the person struck. I recognize that incidents like these are concerning and I write to you today to advise you that we take the safety and security of Brown University and our community members seriously. Brown DPS investigators are working hard attempting to identify these perpetrators and hold them accountable to their actions. We have classified these incidents as criminal assaults.\n\nThere is no indication that any particular group of people are targeted. We are advising everyone to be vigilant when walking around campus, especially in the evenings when these assaults have been occurring and consider taking the following actions:\n\nWhile this type of crime is difficult to prevent, the safety of our Brown community is our collective concern. DPS will alter our normal patrol activity to provide a heightened presence in the streets around campus. Additionally, we will share this information with Providence Police, RISD Public Safety, and our Allied contracted security (Yellow Jackets) who are strategically positioned around the campus.\n\nIf you see suspicious behavior — a vehicle, for example, that continues to circle a particular block — or an assault occurring on or near the Brown campus, please contact Brown DPS at (401) 863-4111 immediately. If you are targeted in an assault, please contact us for help. We will quickly get on-site support to you. In addition, if DPS learns about incidents as they have just occurred, we hold a greater chance of identifying and locating the subjects and ultimately preventing more of these incidents.\n\nBrown DPS is honored to be entrusted with protecting the safety and security of the Brown community, and we are committed to partnering with community members as we work to do so. This partnership is our greatest asset in keeping the community safe, and we greatly appreciate your efforts to work with us.\n\n------------------------------------\n\nBROWN DPS EMERGENCY CONTACT: (401) 863-4111\n\nBROWN DPS NON-EMERGENCY CONTACT: (401) 863-3322\n\nPROVIDENCE POLICE DEPARTMENT: 9-1-1\n\nPROVIDENCE POLICE DEPARTMENT: (401) 272-3121\n\n-------------------------------------\n\nHow can DPS Help webpage: https://dps.brown.edu/\n\nSAFEWALK: https://dps.brown.edu/programs-services/safewalk (401) 863-1079\n\n-------------------------------------\n\nINCIDENT LOCATIONS: Google Maps\n\nThayer and Benevolent Streets",
      "isVerbatimConfirmed": true,
      "sourceUrl": "https://publicsafety.brown.edu/alerts/community-notification",
      "sourceDescription": "Brown DPSEM public alerts archive (publicsafety.brown.edu)",
      "annotations": [
        "Full text from official Brown Public Safety alert page paragraphs"
      ],
      "characterCount": 2685
    }
  ],
  "context": "On 2024-09-25, [Brown University](https://www.brown.edu/) Department of Public Safety published a community-facing notice now archived at [publicsafety.brown.edu](https://publicsafety.brown.edu/alerts/community-notification). The [crime alerts index](https://publicsafety.brown.edu/alerts/crime-alerts) lists multi-year Clery and community notices.",
  "keyFindings": [
    "Full official text recovered from Brown's public alerts archive",
    "Verbatim transcription for emergency-management research use"
  ],
  "sources": [
    {
      "title": "Community notice after pedestrians were struck by paintballs (Brown Public Safety)",
      "url": "https://publicsafety.brown.edu/alerts/community-notification",
      "type": "official-archive"
    },
    {
      "title": "Brown Public Safety crime alerts index",
      "url": "https://publicsafety.brown.edu/alerts/crime-alerts",
      "type": "official-archive"
    },
    {
      "title": "Brown University emergency information",
      "url": "https://www.brown.edu/emergency",
      "type": "official"
    }
  ],
  "confidence": "high",
  "tags": [
    "assault",
    "paintball",
    "brown"
  ],
  "dateAdded": "2026-07-21",
  "lastUpdated": "2026-07-21",
  "addedBy": "ingestion"
}