A homeless hero has been hailed for breaking the Brown University and MIT shooting case wide open after confronting the gunman — and now, the federal authorities say he’s officially ‘entitled’ to a staggering $50,000 reward.
The tipster, known only as John, played a crucial role in helping police identify Claudio Neves Valente as the suspect. Officials said he provided key details about the 48-year-old shooter’s car after a strange encounter with him on the day of the attack.
"He blew this case right open," Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Neronha said, praising the tipster’s crucial role.
Claudio Neves Valente, the suspect in the Brown and MIT shootings, pictured in an undated photo. via REUTERS
Before John’s tip surfaced, investigators were frantically trying to identify the gunman who killed two Brown students and, just two days later, shot a Massachusetts Institute of Technology professor.
Although John — whose image police first circulated seeking information — hadn’t yet been confirmed to receive the substantial reward, Ted Docks, the FBI’s special agent in charge, said he should qualify.
"It would be logical to think that, absolutely, that individual would be entitled to that," Docks said when questioned about the potential reward.
The tip from John surfaced when he took to Reddit, claiming he recognized the suspect from the photos authorities had circulated in the aftermath of Saturday’s bloodshed.
Authorities have released security footage of someone they believe was close to the Brown University shooting suspect. Providence Police
On Wednesday, Dec. 17, 2025, a poster asking for tips on the campus shooting suspect was spotted at Brown University. AP
"I’m being dead serious," read the Reddit post, as cited in court documents.
“The police need to look into a grey Nissan with Florida plates, possibly a rental.”
“I know because he used his key fob to open the car, approached it, and then something prompted him to back away,” he added.
On November 17, 2025, officials released images showing Claudio Manuel Neves-Valente, the suspect in the Brown University shooting, at an Alamo rental car center. U.S. Attorneys Office for the District of Rhode Island
Footage from a security camera shows the suspect involved in the Brown University shooting. FBI
According to reports, security camera footage captures an individual who police believe was close to the Brown University shooting suspect, walking in an unnamed location. Providence Police
“When he backed away, he relocked the car. I found that odd, so when he circled the block, I approached the car that is when I saw the Florida plates.”
Until then, authorities had no information about a vehicle that might be linked to the shooter.
After police released John’s image amid the ongoing hunt, he met with investigators and revealed that he had a bizarre "cat and mouse" encounter with the gunman on the day of the shooting.
He said he ran into Neves Valente in the bathroom of Brown’s engineering building just hours before the attack, noting that the suspect’s clothing was "inappropriate and inadequate for the weather."
During the shooting, Brown University sophomore Ella Cook lost her life. Linkedin/Ella Cook
Authorities confirmed Mukhammad Aziz Umurzokov as the second victim of the Brown University shooting. Gofundme
Sources told Fox News that, at the time, John was living in the basement of the engineering building — a startling detail in the unfolding investigation.
He later crossed paths with Neves Valente outside the building and, as detailed in his affidavit, decided to follow him — a move that proved crucial.
John recalled yelling at one point, "Your car is back there! Why are you circling the block?"
“The Suspect responded, ‘I don’t know you from nobody,’ then Suspect repeatedly asked, ’Why are you harassing me?’” court files state.
At a storage facility, investigators comb the scene where the Brown University shooter tragically took his own life. REUTERS
On December 18, 2025, FBI Evidence Response Team agents gathered at Extra Space Storage at 10 Hampshire Road in Salem, New Hampshire. Kyle Mazza/Shutterstock
Building on John’s tip, investigators tapped into more surveillance footage, which ultimately helped them track down the gunman.
Just under 24 hours later, investigators located Neves Valente, who had died from a self-inflicted gunshot, ending the manhunt.
"When you crack it, you crack it," the attorney general declared.
