‘Just knock it off’: Neronha, Whitehouse urge RI to ignore Brown shooting conspiracy theories

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WLNE) — Law enforcement are urging Providence and Rhode Island residents to only trust information from official sources in the Brown University shooting.

This follows the doxxing of a student related to online speculation about the shooting suspect’s identity.

According to Brown University, a student’s personal information was shared online, and now Attorney General Peter Neronha is attempting to stem the flow of internet rumors.

Rumors gained more traction after information about the doxxed student was seemingly removed from Brown’s website.

Neronha said that any online rumors about political, religious or racial motivations behind the shooting are unfounded.

Rhode Island Senator Sheldon Whitehouse didn’t mince words when he weighed in on the online discourse in the case.

“So whether it’s to protect the law enforcement investigation from a lot of unnecessary and ill-informed noise cluttering up the ability of the many agencies working on this to do their jobs, or whether it’s out simple courtesy and sympathy to the families who are going through this awful moment, just please shut up with the speculation,” said Whitehouse.

“All the conspiracy theories, all the creepy weird plot ideas, please, just knock it off.”

School officials said it is not unusual to take steps to protect a person’s safety in the event of online targeting.