In a letter, Providence Mayor Brett Smiley has requested that FBI Director Kash Patel pay out the offered $50,000 reward for tips leading to the arrest of the Brown University shooting suspect to a tipster named “John.”
“As discussed with the media last night, John is no less than a hero,” Smiley wrote in a letter obtained by local news station WPRI 12.
However, the FBI told Newsweek in response to a request for comment on Saturday: “As a standard practice, the FBI does not disclose whether a reward has been paid or to whom.”
Why It Matters
The suspect, identified by police as Claudio Manuel Neves Valente, 48, allegedly shot and killed two students and wounded nine others in a Brown University lecture hall last Saturday before allegedly going to Massachusetts to fatally shoot MIT Professor Nuno F.G. Loureiro two days later at his home in Brookline, Massachusetts.
The tipster, known only as “John” in the mayor’s letter to Patel, reached out to authorities with vital information, like the gray Nissan Sentra the suspect was driving, that finally cracked open the case following nearly a week of searching for the gunman with limited success.
Authorities ultimately found Neves Valente dead from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head in a New Hampshire storage unit.
What To Know
The FBI as of Friday had not commented on whether the tipster would receive the reward, leaving many to wonder if the agency would give it to him. Smiley therefore wrote a letter to Patel and urged him to pay the money to John, while also crediting the substantial efforts from law enforcement to find and finally locate the suspect.
“This individual was brought to justice last night thanks to the tireless dedication, selflessness and expertise of the local, State and Federal law enforcement agencies who spent nearly 130 consecutive, uninterrupted hours working to solve this case,” Smiley wrote.
He also praised the local community, but noted that “one individual amongst those who provided tips stands out above the rest: John.”
“As discussed with the media last night, John is no less than a hero,” Smiley wrote. “His bravery, selflessness and stewardship on behalf of his community went far beyond what anyone could ever hope from a tip. I believe that our community is breathing easier today because of the extraordinary assistance John provided to our law enforcement agencies. I am writing to you today to request that the entirety of the $50,000 reward be issued to this incredible Providence neighbor.”
Ted Docks, the FBI’s special agent in charge, told reporters Thursday night that it was “logical” to assume the tipster would be entitled to the money.
How Are Rewards Paid?
The FBI maintains stringent guidelines around the awarding of such rewards, sometimes coming down to the technicalities of the wording. In this case, the FBI notice asked for information “leading to the Identification, Arrest, and Conviction of the individual responsible for the Brown University mass shooting.”
A U.S. investigating agency—such as the FBI or Department of Defense—must nominate a person for a reward offered by the FBI, according to the bureau’s Rewards for Justice website. Individuals claiming to have provided information cannot self-nominate for a reward payment.
Then, an interagency committee “carefully evaluates” the information provided by the nominating agency and if it determines that the information that was provided merits a reward, it makes a recommendation to the Secretary of State.
The website adds that a nomination does not guarantee that a payment will be approved, but the determination by the Secretary of State “is final and conclusive and not subject to judicial review.”
The FBI also says that it does not publicly share information submitted in response to reward offers or the names of those who receive a reward payment. It says that usually it will not even be disclosed that a reward has been paid out.
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