Homeless man who broke Brown University shooting case wide open to receive national award for heroism

PROVIDENCE, RI — The Youth Peace And Justice Foundation—the national nonprofit organization formed in the immediate aftermath of the 2022 mass shooting in Uvalde, Texas—announced today in a release it will award its National Award for Heroism to the individual known as “John.”

The recognition follows the identification of Claudio Manuel Neves Valente as the perpetrator of the fatal shooting at Brown University. Foundation officials noted that the “swift and selfless” actions of “John,” a man experiencing homelessness, provided the breakthrough investigators needed to track the suspect.

“John,” who had been seeking shelter in the basement of Brown’s Barus & Holley engineering building, encountered Neves Valente in a campus restroom hours before the incident. Disturbed by the suspect’s behavior and attire, he later observed Neves Valente’s rental car and successfully noted the license plate and Florida registration.

By sharing this information through a Reddit post and subsequent cooperation with federal investigators, “John” provided the critical lead that allowed authorities to identify the suspect. Neves Valente was later located in New Hampshire, deceased from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Daniel Chapin, founder of the national nonprofit, noted that this situation highlights the vital role citizens play in public safety and the urgent need for a shift in national strategy.

“Bravery and heroism can be found in the most unexpected places. In this instance, an individual from our most vulnerable community stepped up to protect a university campus. While we celebrate this heroism, we must move beyond temporary fixes. We are calling for a firm political commitment to implement proven violence intervention models nationwide. We don’t need more empty funding; we need the political will to enact strategies that save lives.” — DANIEL CHAPIN, YOUTH PEACE AND JUSTICE FOUNDATION

“John” could also possibly receive some, or all, of the $50,000 reward issued for information that led to the capture of the shooting suspect which turned out to be Valente.

On Friday, Providence Mayor Brett Smiley contacted the FBI requesting that “John” receive the full 50k.