Brown University’s president shared a heartfelt tribute to the two students who were killed Saturday afternoon during a mass shooting on campus on Tuesday.
“Three days ago, we lost two members of our Brown community to an act of unimaginable and senseless violence. These were two young people whose amazing promise was extinguished too soon,” President Christina Paxson wrote in a letter to the school community.
Gunfire erupted on the first floor of Brown’s Barus and Holley engineering and physics building around 4 p.m. on Dec. 13 during an economics class. The shooting left sophomore Ella Cook and first-year student Mukhammad Aziz Umurzokov dead and nine others injured.
“Both were brilliant and beloved — as members of our campus community, but even more by their friends and families,” Paxson wrote.
As of Tuesday morning, the FBI and Providence police had shared multiple photos and videos of a person of interest, but the shooter remained at large. Officials said Monday night that the gunman was believed to be “armed and dangerous.”
Remembering Mukhammad Aziz Umurzokov
Umurzokov was a dual citizen of the U.S. and Uzbekistan who graduated high school in Virginia before starting at Brown this fall, according to Paxson. He had “a passion for medicine born from a personal experience, and he planned to concentrate in biochemistry and molecular biology to help realize his dream of becoming a doctor,” she wrote.
During his single semester at the university, Umurzokov served as the president of its Model United Nations chapter and the captain of its Scholastic Bowl team, according to Paxson. He was known for being “driven, conscientious and disciplined,” as well as “a dedicated, well-rounded student” with a “clear commitment to serving others.”
“I have been moved by his current and former classmates’ descriptions of him as someone who generously shared his intelligence, humor and kindness with all those who knew him,” Paxson wrote.
Remembering Ella Cook
A Mountain Brook, Alabama, native, before coming to Brown, Cook had become “an accomplished competitive pianist” known for serving as a volunteer leader at nearby Birmingham’s Cathedral Church of the Advent, according to the university’s president. She is described as being “intellectually curious” and selected Brown for its Open Curriculum, which allows students more freedom to choose courses than the typical university’s core curriculum.
“She was known for her compassionate, loyal and courageous spirit, and we understand she was described by a church leader as a ‘tremendous bright light’ who brought peace and faith to all those around her,” Paxson wrote.
At Brown, Cook became interested in French and Francophone studies and a member of the Alpha Chi Omega sorority, according to the university’s president. The sophomore also served as the Republican Club of Brown University’s vice president.
“As I learn more about the vitality she radiated, I wish so much that I had the opportunity to know her,” Paxson wrote.
What’s happened since the shooting
As of Monday night, one of the injured students was in critical but stable condition at a hospital, and seven were hospitalized but in stable condition. One has been released from a hospital.
“We must also keep the other victims of the shooting in our thoughts as we hope and pray for their healthy recovery,” Paxson wrote.
Following the shooting, the gunman left the university’s engineering building on the Hope Street side, officials said. A massive law enforcement response soon flooded Rhode Island to search for the shooter as the school and surrounding community went into a lockdown that lasted more than 12 hours.
Officials announced that a person of interest — identified only as a man in his 30s — was in custody early Sunday morning. But by the following morning, authorities confirmed that the man had been released. On Monday night, they said he’d been eliminated as a suspect after reviewing evidence.
Law enforcement is now looking to identify a new person of interest in the shooting who they have described as approximately 5-foot-8 inches tall with a “stocky build.” The images show what appears to be man dressed in dark clothing, including a beanie and face mask, walking down the street near Brown at approximately 2 p.m. on Saturday.
The FBI is offering a $50,000 reward for information leading to the “identification, arrest and conviction of the individual.” Officials asked anyone associated with Brown or who lives or spends time around Providence to review the photos. Anyone who thinks they know or have information about the person depicted in the photos is also asked to contact police.
“We’re at the 49th hour, and there’s no one that wants to put this individual in handcuffs more than us,” Col. Oscar L. Perez, Jr. said at a press conference Monday night.
The Providence Police Department asks that information about the person of interest be shared via phone at 401-272-3121 or through the FBI’s tip line.
