In a tragic incident that has shocked the academic community, a shooting at the prestigious Brown University has left two students dead and nine others wounded. The attack occurred on campus as students were preparing for final exams, prompting an intense manhunt by law enforcement agencies.
Intensified Manhunt and New Evidence
A day after the horrific event, authorities have escalated their search for the gunman. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has taken a central role, releasing three images of a potential suspect captured from neighbourhood ring cameras. In a significant move to gather leads, the FBI has announced a $50,000 reward for information that leads to the identification, arrest, and conviction of the person responsible for this attack.
Providence police have also released new video footage, believed to be the clearest images of the suspect yet. The videos, taken approximately two hours before the shooting, show a man wearing a mask and a dark two-tone jacket. The FBI describes the suspect as a man approximately 5 feet 8 inches tall with a stocky build.
Authorities have faced a setback after releasing a man detained at a Rhode Island hotel, whom they had initially considered a person of interest. State Attorney General Peter Neronha underscored the gravity of the situation, stating plainly, “We have a murderer out there.” Investigators are urging the public for help, asking residents and local businesses to provide any surveillance video that could aid the investigation.
Details of the Campus Attack
The shooting took place during a critical and busy period on the Ivy League campus, with students deep into their final exam preparations. The gunman opened fire inside a first-floor classroom of the university's engineering building, which is part of a seven-story complex housing the engineering school and physics department.
A law enforcement official, speaking anonymously to The Associated Press, revealed that the attacker fired more than 40 rounds from a 9 mm handgun. When the initial person of interest was taken into custody, authorities recovered two handguns and two loaded 30-round magazines. It remains unclear how the shooter gained access to the classroom, as the building reportedly does not have extensive security camera coverage.
In response to the tragedy, Brown University—the seventh-oldest higher education institution in the US with about 7,300 undergraduate and over 3,000 graduate students—has cancelled all remaining classes and exams for the semester.
Remembering the Victims and the Wounded
The university community is mourning the loss of two bright young students. The victims have been identified as Mukhammad Aziz Umurzokov, an 18-year-old freshman from Brandermill, Virginia, and Ella Cook, a 19-year-old sophomore from a suburb of Birmingham, Alabama.
Umurzokov was an aspiring neurosurgeon, while Cook was a student leader of Brown University’s campus Republicans. Both were in a study group, preparing for an economics final exam when the attack occurred.
Of the nine wounded students, University President Christina Paxson confirmed that one has been released from the hospital. However, seven remain in critical but stable condition, and one is in critical condition. Among the critically injured is Kendall Turner, a recent graduate of Durham Academy in North Carolina, whose parents are now by her side.
The investigation remains active and urgent. The FBI and Providence Police Department are pleading for anyone with information to come forward. Tips can be submitted to the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI (225-5324) or the Providence Police Department at 401-272-3121.
