A visiting professor at Harvard Law School has agreed to leave the United States after federal immigration authorities detained him following an October incident near a Massachusetts synagogue.
The professor, Carlos Portugal Gouvêa, a Brazilian national, was arrested in early October after he discharged a pellet gun outside a temple in Brookline, Massachusetts, on the eve of a major Jewish holiday. He told police he was “hunting rats,” and was initially charged with illegal use of a firearm and several misdemeanors.
In November, he accepted a plea deal resolving the primary firearm offense and received six months of probation along with restitution for property damage. Other charges against him were dismissed. Soon after, U.S. authorities revoked his temporary visa.
This week, Gouvêa was taken into custody by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Rather than face formal deportation proceedings, he agreed to leave voluntarily. He has now returned to Brazil.
The case sparked concern when the shooting occurred near the temple, prompting a security lockdown as congregants gathered for religious services. Church officials later said they believed the incident was not motivated by antisemitism and that Gouvêa claimed to be unaware of the synagogue’s presence or the significance of the day.
Harvard placed him on administrative leave at the time. The university has not publicly announced additional disciplinary action since his departure.