The Brett Cooper Show

Episode 110: "The Victims and Their Families Deserve Better"

Date: December 17, 2025
Host: Brett Cooper

Episode Overview

Brett Cooper uses this episode to critically examine the fallout from the recent shooting at Brown University, where two students lost their lives and several others were wounded. The episode dissects the failures—both practical and optical—of local and federal agencies in their response to the shooting, contrasts them with internet sleuthing, and highlights how mismanaged communications fuel public distrust in institutions. Brett interweaves first-hand accounts, online reactions, institutional commentary, and explores the role of generational and cultural attitudes in the ongoing crisis.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. The Brown University Shooting - Timeline and Firsthand Account

• Firsthand Account (01:16): Brett shares a teacher's assistant's narrative from inside the classroom at the time of the shooting, underscoring the terror and confusion.
  • Quote (01:21): “I was just teach my review like usual. A little after 4pm, he ended the session... As they stood to leave... we heard gunshots and people screaming in the hall outside.”
• Timeline of Response (02:12):
  • 4:05pm: 911 call received.
  • 4:22pm: First emergency alert from Brown University (17 minutes after the incident).
  • 4:35pm: Emergency vehicles arrived.
  • 4:51pm: Incorrect announcement of suspect in custody.
  • 6:00pm: Two deaths confirmed.
• Critique: Brett calls the response “reprehensible,” saying, “It took 30 minutes for local law enforcement to get to the scene after that first 911 call.” (02:59)

2. Law Enforcement’s Communication Missteps and Public Outrage

• Release and Retraction of Suspect’s Identity (03:38):
  • A suspect was named in the media following law enforcement leaks; subsequently, he was released with no charges.
  • Commentator (03:28): “It’s hard to put that back in the bottle.”
  • Brett (03:38): “This young man’s face, his name has been blasted everywhere... now he has to deal with that for the rest of his life.”
• Poor Surveillance Footage (04:14, 05:15):
  • Criticizes Brown’s lack of quality video despite boasting 800+ security cameras.
  • Quote (04:14): “I’m so glad that we have this incredible footage of this armed shooter at large... such a clear visual on this individual.”
  • Points out the irony in earlier student complaints about “too much surveillance,” now juxtaposed against the failure of the camera system.
  • Quote from Brown Daily Herald 2021: “It is impossible to cross or even approach Brown University without being surveyed. I encourage you to try.” (05:50)
  • Brett (06:43): “If you cannot walk through campus without seeing a camera... how is this the best footage we have?”

3. Public Mockery of Federal Agents and Institutional Chaos

• Social Media Reactions (09:46, 10:29):
  • Clips circulated of FBI agents searching appear unorganized; public online reaction is ridicule.
  • Quote (10:29): “Somebody commented and said, for God's sake, spread out. Like they're all just walking in a group... it looks like a scene from a buddy cop movie.”
  • Quote (11:07): “Another person said... This is how I look for my keys. Not key evidence in a high profile school shooting... This is clown world policing.”
• Critique of Press Conferences (13:03):
  • Blunders at press events, such as confusion over the term “custody,” further diminish credibility.
  • Quote (13:03): “Are we in an episode of Parks and Rec? Like, that is genuinely what it feels like... out of The Office or Parks and Rec.”
  • Criticizes focus on optics like bilingual and sign language briefings amidst operational chaos.

4. Messaging Inconsistencies and Public Safety Concerns

• Press Briefings and Mixed Messages (14:36):
  • Law enforcement gives conflicting information about public safety.
  • Police Chief (14:36): “We have enhanced enforcement in that area... it’s going to be safe. However... our priority... is to keep our constituents safe, keep them informed, and to keep them committed.”
  • Brett (15:02): “What I am hoping is that their investigative skills are better than their press conference skills because this is a mess.”
• Community Events Amidst Crisis (15:50):
  • Calls out Providence officials for holding public events while shooter remains at large.
  • Quote (16:30): “I think the thing that the community could be doing is staying home and being safe. How dumb do you have to be to think that this is a good idea?”

5. Institutional Accountability and Transparency Failures

• University Leadership Lapses (17:12):
  • Brown’s President admits ignorance six hours after the shooting.
  • Reporter (17:14): “Six hours after this shooting and you said you don’t know what was going on in that classroom. How does that happen?”
  • Brett (17:24): “$71,000 a year tuition, and the president of Brown University is clueless.”
• Key Insight:
  • The internet and citizen sleuths appear more effective than authorities in collecting and cross-referencing evidence (19:40).

6. Media, Optics, and Timing Critique

• Poorly Timed Podcast Promo (18:38):
  • Brett criticizes Katie Miller’s airing of a light-hearted interview with Kash Patel amidst the shooting crisis, highlighting the disconnect and tone-deafness in public messaging.
  • Quote (19:03): “At this moment in time... when sons are slitting the throats of their fathers, when terrorists are attacking Hanukkah celebrations, when there are shootings at Brown University, that’s the thing on the top of all our minds?”
  • Analysis (19:42): “Shouldn’t there be a bit of discernment... like, shouldn’t Katie or somebody on her team go, hey, you know, this was a huge, tragic weekend around the world. Maybe we should just hold this one for a week.”
  • Social media backlash referenced extensively as illustrating broader institutional failure in managing optics and public trust.

7. The Internet’s Role vs. Institutional Incompetence

• Online Investigation (22:15):
  • Describes how “people online were beginning to connect those grainy images and videos with photos of a student from Brown... those pages on Brown’s website have now been wiped.”
  • Contrasts with law enforcement “tiptoe peeking over fences.”
  • Quote (22:45): “If the Internet, if people on X found him by cross referencing grainy ring doorbell footage while the FBI was tiptoe peeking over fences, then I don't even know what to say, like I need a nap. I am ready for this year to be.”

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Institutional Failure:
  “It took 30 minutes for local law enforcement to get to the scene after the first 911 call. That in itself is just reprehensible.” (02:59)
• On Camera Surveillance Irony:
  “If you cannot walk through campus without seeing a camera, without being photographed, without being on video, how is this the best footage we have?” (06:43)
• Ridiculing the FBI Sweep:
  “This is clown world policing.” (11:07)
  “Are we in an episode of Parks and Rec?” (13:03)
• On Crisis Communications:
  “Shouldn’t there be a bit of discernment... maybe we should just hold this one for a week?” (19:42)
• On Online vs. Official Efforts:
  “If the Internet, if people on X found him by cross referencing grainy ring doorbell footage while the FBI was tiptoe peeking over fences, then I don’t even know what to say.” (22:45)

Timestamps for Important Segments

| Timestamp | Segment Description | |-----------|---------------------------------------------------------------| | 01:16 | TA's firsthand account of the shooting | | 02:12 | Official attack and response timeline | | 03:28 | Concerns over suspect's name being leaked | | 04:14 | Frustration over poor surveillance footage | | 06:43 | Irony of camera surplus vs. camera failure | | 09:46 | Mockery of FBI search efforts online | | 13:03 | Press conference miscues and optics critique | | 14:36 | Police’s conflicting messages on community safety | | 15:50 | Invitation to public Hanukkah event criticized | | 17:14 | Brown University President’s ignorance post-shooting | | 18:38 | Poorly timed podcast promotion critique | | 19:42 | Discussion on the importance of sensitivity in media timing | | 22:15 | Internet sleuths’ impact vs. law enforcement |

Tone and Language

Brett’s tone is acerbic, often sarcastic, and unapologetically skeptical. She strikes a balance between grim humor and palpable frustration, using wit and mockery as a vehicle for serious criticism of systemic and cultural failings.

Summary Takeaways

• Institutional incompetence and poor crisis communication have eroded public confidence in law enforcement and educational institutions.
• Optics, transparency, and timing in public messaging are critical—yet frequently bungled—especially during tragedy.
• Internet communities and citizen sleuths are increasingly effective where institutions falter, highlighting generational and cultural shifts in accountability, surveillance, and collective action.
• Victims and their families deserve better, as repeated failures in response and communication create additional harm amid tragedy.

This detailed examination exposes failures and ironies surrounding the Brown University shooting and underscores the broader crisis of trust and competence in American institutions—raising urgent questions about how communities can better respond and support victims in a rapidly changing world.