Two people have been killed and eight critically wounded in a shooting at Brown University, authorities said, as the perpetrator of the attack at the Ivy League school remained at large.

“I can confirm that there are two individuals who have died this afternoon, and there are another eight in critical status,” Providence, Rhode Island Mayor Brett Smiley told a news conference.

“We do not have a shooter in custody at this time,” he added.

Earlier, the school said the perpetrator was still at large and students ordered to shelter in place.

“We are very sorry to share that we have confirmed reports of multiple shooting victims, but we are not able to share their condition,” Brown said in an emergency alert.

“This remains an active crime scene, and law enforcement continues to search for the suspect.”

Brown reported “an active shooter near Barus and Holley Engineering” at 4.22pm (local time), with multiple exams scheduled in the building at that time.

“Lock doors, silence phones and stay hidden until further notice,” it said in an initial emergency alert.

President Donald Trump said on his Truth Social platform he had been briefed on the shooting.

“The FBI is on the scene,” he said. “God bless the victims and the families of the victims!”

Brown University campus in Providence, Rhode Island. Photo / Getty Images

Law enforcement and first responders swarmed the scene, with local news station WPRI reporting clothing and blood on the sidewalk.

The prestigious university in Providence, Rhode Island, near Boston, has about 11,000 students.

The shooting is the latest in a long line of school attacks in the US, where attempts to restrict easy access to firearms face political deadlock.

– More to come

– Agence France-Presse