A chaotic digital record of the Brown University shooting has emerged, providing a glimpse into what students witnessed and feared during the traumatic event. On December 13, as the attack unfolded during finals week, students took to Sidechat, an anonymous, campus-specific message board widely used at U.S. colleges, for fast-flowing information in real time.
The record, which spans several hours, reveals a flurry of posts, images, and videos that captured the confusion, fear, and chaos on campus. Students shared screenshots of emails, texts, and social media posts from authorities, as well as photos and videos of the scene. Some also shared personal stories of what they saw or heard during the attack.
One student posted a video showing gunfire inside an academic building, while another shared a photo of a suspicious person lurking around campus. A group of students created a live blog to document the events as they unfolded.
The digital record also contains messages from students asking for help, offering support, and seeking reassurance. Some expressed concerns about their own safety and well-being, while others wondered how they could cope with the trauma of what they witnessed.
As authorities investigated the attack, which left one person dead and several injured, students took to social media to process their emotions and seek comfort from one another. The digital record serves as a poignant reminder of the power of technology to both unite and isolate us in times of crisis.
In the aftermath of the shooting, Brown University has vowed to increase security measures on campus and provide support to those affected by the attack. As the university community grapples with the trauma of what happened, the digital record serves as a haunting reminder of the chaos and fear that unfolded just days ago.
The record, which spans several hours, reveals a flurry of posts, images, and videos that captured the confusion, fear, and chaos on campus. Students shared screenshots of emails, texts, and social media posts from authorities, as well as photos and videos of the scene. Some also shared personal stories of what they saw or heard during the attack.
One student posted a video showing gunfire inside an academic building, while another shared a photo of a suspicious person lurking around campus. A group of students created a live blog to document the events as they unfolded.
The digital record also contains messages from students asking for help, offering support, and seeking reassurance. Some expressed concerns about their own safety and well-being, while others wondered how they could cope with the trauma of what they witnessed.
As authorities investigated the attack, which left one person dead and several injured, students took to social media to process their emotions and seek comfort from one another. The digital record serves as a poignant reminder of the power of technology to both unite and isolate us in times of crisis.
In the aftermath of the shooting, Brown University has vowed to increase security measures on campus and provide support to those affected by the attack. As the university community grapples with the trauma of what happened, the digital record serves as a haunting reminder of the chaos and fear that unfolded just days ago.
This whole thing feels super suspicious... I mean, think about it - students are sharing screenshots of emails and texts from authorities, but is anyone really sure who's been controlling the narrative here? 
I'm seeing a lot of 'official' statements that seem pretty vague to me. What if there's more to this than just some lone gunman gone wrong? 
And what about all these social media posts from students asking for help and support... feels like they're getting a lot of attention, doesn't it? 
Like, are they just trying to deflect attention from the real issues? 
this is so wild how fast information spread through Sidechat... one minute they're chillin', next thing you know everyone's freaking out 
. and the fact that students were documenting everything live, it's crazy 
. i feel bad for all those who saw things that no human should ever have to see 
nowadays it's just "oh no this happened" and everyone's gotta share it on the 'gram 
but honestly it's kinda nice to see people supporting each other in real time 
it's like we're right back in the moment, even though it's hours or days later... I'm getting chills just watching those videos & reading those posts from students who were literally on campus when the shooting happened 
I'm definitely not surprised by the increased security measures at Brown Uni, tbh... campus safety has to be a top priority after something like this happens 
to show what i think is happenin' here:
. I mean, can you imagine being in that situation and not knowing what's happening? It's crazy how fast information spreads on campus message boards like Sidechat - one minute it's all calm, next minute it's chaos 
. But at the same time, it's weird how this whole thing is being shared online... like, do we really want to relive that trauma on social media? 
.
and yeah the digital record might be scary but it also serves as a reminder of how connected we are online when we need each other most
... i feel like these students were literally living it 24/7 on sidechat - they had to stay informed about what was happening around them, no break from notifications 
. it's crazy how one incident can just send the whole campus into a frenzy 
and yet at the same time, it's beautiful to see students supporting each other in the midst of all this trauma