A chilling search is underway after a shooting at Brown University left two students dead and nine others injured. The campus, normally a haven of learning, became a scene of terror on Saturday afternoon, sparking a massive manhunt for a suspect described as armed and dangerous.
The FBI has released a grainy CCTV image of a person of interest – a figure walking near the campus shortly after the 4:05 PM shooting. A $50,000 reward is now being offered for information leading to their identification, arrest, and conviction. Authorities emphasize the suspect is considered a significant threat to public safety.
Nineteen-year-old Ella Cook, a rising Republican voice and the vice president of Brown’s Republican club, was tragically among those killed. Her family remembers her as an “incredible, grounded, faithful bright light” who uplifted everyone around her, a beacon of faith both at university and within her church community in Alabama.
The other victim has been identified as Mukhammad Aziz Umurzokov, an aspiring neurosurgeon from Uzbekistan. Described by his family as “the most kind-hearted person,” Mukhammad was a source of joy and inspiration to those who knew him, always ready to lend a helping hand. A GoFundMe campaign has already raised nearly $190,000 to support his grieving family.
Witnesses recount moments of sheer panic. A teaching assistant described bullets striking the chalkboard just inches from where he stood, a terrifying near miss. Another student suffered two gunshot wounds to the leg and underwent emergency surgery. The shooting unfolded within the Barus & Holley engineering and physics building, where doors were reportedly left unlocked during exams.
Initial leads proved to be a false alarm. An individual briefly considered a person of interest was released after investigators determined there was no basis for suspicion. The search has now resumed, focusing on identifying the individual captured in the surveillance footage – a person dressed in dark clothing, obscured by a face mask and beanie.
A vigil was held Sunday night, a somber gathering of students, faculty, and community members offering candles and flowers in remembrance of Ella and Mukhammad. Brown University has canceled classes and exams for the remainder of the year, grappling with the profound loss and the unsettling reality of violence shattering their campus peace.
The tragedy at Brown comes on the heels of another devastating attack – a mass shooting at Bondi Beach in Australia. The world is left reeling from these senseless acts of violence, a stark reminder of the fragility of life and the urgent need for solutions.
