A community in Rhode Island is in mourning and a major police investigation is underway after a deadly mass shooting at the prestigious Brown University campus in Providence.
Victims Remembered as Manhunt Intensifies
The two students who lost their lives in the Saturday afternoon attack have been identified as Ella Cook, a second-year student from Alabama, and MukhammadAziz Umurzokov, a first-year student from Uzbekistan. The shooting occurred on 14 December 2025 inside a classroom in the university's engineering building, during the final exam period.
Ella Cook, who served as vice-president of Brown's chapter of the College Republicans of America, was described by her home church in Birmingham as "an incredible, grounded, faithful, bright light". White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt offered public condolences to her family and friends.
MukhammadAziz Umurzokov was remembered by his sister as an incredibly kind, funny, and smart young man with dreams of becoming a neurosurgeon. The US Ambassador to Uzbekistan posted a tribute, extending condolences to his family and fellow students.
Investigation Takes New Turn as Suspect Released
In a significant development, Rhode Island authorities announced late on Sunday that a 24-year-old man arrested in a raid at a Hampton Inn hotel, roughly 17 miles from campus, had been released. The raid had recovered two handguns and two loaded 30-round magazines.
"We have a murderer out there," stated Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Neronha. He explained that evidence initially pointing to the detained individual had, over 24 hours, begun to point in a different direction, forcing investigators to regroup.
Providence Mayor Brett Smiley acknowledged this development was "likely to cause fresh anxiety for our community" as the search for the perpetrator continues.
Community Grapples with Aftermath of Violence
The gunman, who remains at large, fired more than 40 rounds from a 9mm handgun during the attack. Of the nine other people injured, one student has been released from hospital. Seven were listed in critical but stable condition, and one was in critical condition as of Sunday.
Among the critically wounded is Kendall Turner, a recent graduate of Durham Academy in North Carolina, whose school community said it was rallying around her and her family.
The shooting at Brown, one of America's oldest higher education institutions, is one of at least 392 mass shootings recorded in the United States in 2025 so far, according to the Gun Violence Archive. The non-partisan resource defines a mass shooting as an incident where four or more victims are wounded or killed.
A vigil was held on campus on Monday as the university, the city of Providence, and the wider academic world confront yet another tragic episode of gun violence.
