The possibility of legal backlash intensified this week as Brown University confirmed it has retained a former top federal prosecutor amid mounting scrutiny over its handling of a mass shooting that killed two students and wounded nine others. The legal move signals that the Ivy League school is preparing for possible litigation as questions swirl about campus security failures.
In a statement, the university said, “Brown works routinely with outside counsel whose expertise complements that of the University’s Office of the General Counsel. In this case, we retained Zachary Cunha, the former United States Attorney for the District of Rhode Island, to assist the University in coordinating with federal, state and local law enforcement agencies.” Cunha stepped down earlier this year as U.S. attorney and joined the law firm Nixon Peabody in March.
The decision comes as Brown faces criticism for its response to the shooting. Emergency sirens never sounded, and students waited roughly 20 minutes before receiving the first alert. When notifications did arrive, they included repeated updates that conveyed incomplete or inaccurate information.
The lawsuit risk extends beyond the immediate aftermath. In recent months, campus security reportedly received multiple complaints, including concerns from law enforcement that officials failed to disclose details about bomb and shooting threats. Despite those concerns, the university’s Security Patrolperson’s Association issued a vote of confidence in the director of public safety and emergency management in October.
That same department reduced the number of field officers while expanding administrative positions. The Patrolperson’s Association warned the decision “directly contributed to an all-time low in morale and has strained the department’s ability to effectively serve the Brown University community.”
Legal exposure may already be taking shape. According to the Providence Journal, at least two law firms have begun soliciting potential plaintiffs for civil lawsuits related to the shooting. As the fallout grows, the university’s decision to bolster its legal team underscores the seriousness of the challenges ahead.
