2 killed, eight injured in mass shooting on Brown University campus

Authorities are intensifying their appeal for public assistance as the search continues for the gunman involved in the mass shooting inside a Brown University classroom, killing two students and injuring several others.

As the investigation enters its next phase, law enforcement officials are facing growing scrutiny and frustration from students, families, and residents over the lack of a clear suspect or decisive breakthrough.

At a news conference on Tuesday, Providence Police Chief Col. Oscar Perez revealed new details about the suspect’s movements prior to the attack.

Investigators now believe the shooter was present in the College Hill neighborhood several hours before the violence unfolded, raising concerns that the attack was premeditated.

According to Perez, surveillance footage shows a man believed to be the suspect walking through the area around 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, roughly five hours before the shooting began.

“We have video footage of that, and we believe that he was actually casing out this area to commit the crime,” Perez said. “This was not a random presence. We believe there was intent.”

Police have released enhanced images of the individual seen in the footage, urging the public to review any personal security video, doorbell camera recordings, or private surveillance footage from homes and businesses near Brown’s campus. Investigators stressed that even seemingly insignificant clips could prove critical.

“Our officers and our federal partners are reviewing terabytes of data,” Perez said. “We’re looking for a moment that is shorter than somebody taking a breath. That one moment could change everything.”

In addition to reviewing footage, police asked residents to carefully study the suspect’s posture, gait, and body movements shown in the released images and videos. Perez said people often recognize someone not by facial features alone, but by how they walk, stand, or carry themselves.

The mass shooting has left Brown University and the surrounding Providence community shaken and on edge. Mayor Brett Smiley acknowledged during a Monday briefing that the psychological impact of the attack may linger long after the investigation concludes.

“It is going to be hard for my city to feel safe going forward,” Smiley said. “This has shaken us deeply. People expect places of learning to be safe, and that expectation was violently shattered.”

To address widespread anxiety, city officials have ordered an increased and highly visible police presence throughout Providence, particularly near schools, public transportation routes, and major intersections. Smiley said the goal is to reassure residents as parents send children to school and commuters return to work.

“We want people to see officers,” Smiley said. “We want families to know we’re doing everything we can to restore a sense of safety.”

Federal authorities have also expanded their involvement. FBI Special Agent Ted Docks confirmed on Tuesday that nearly 30 FBI victim specialists, special agents, and analysts from across the country have been deployed to Providence. Their mission includes assisting victims, supporting families, and helping local police process evidence and analyze intelligence.

“This is an all-hands effort,” Docks said. “Our focus is both on identifying the person responsible and supporting the people whose lives have been permanently altered by this act of violence.”

The mass shooting occurred shortly after 4 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 13, inside a first-floor classroom in the Barus & Holley building, which houses Brown University’s engineering and physics departments. The campus was busy at the time, with students attending review sessions and preparing for final exams ahead of winter break.

Witnesses told investigators that a masked man entered the classroom carrying a handgun and began firing without warning. Chaos erupted as students scrambled for cover. A teaching assistant later told The New York Times that he hid behind a desk with approximately 20 students while gunfire echoed through the room.

Those seated closer to the middle of the classroom reportedly had the most difficulty escaping or finding cover. Several students were struck by bullets before the shooter fled.

Police confirmed that a 9 mm handgun was used in the attack. Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Neronha said the shooting took place in an older portion of the Barus & Holley building, an area with limited surveillance coverage.

“This part of the building has fewer, if any, cameras,” Neronha said during a briefing. “That has complicated the investigation.”

Neronha added that newer sections of the building, added during renovations, are equipped with security cameras, but those systems did not capture the shooting itself. Investigators are now relying heavily on footage from nearby streets, residences, and businesses.

Authorities have released multiple images and video stills showing a man dressed in dark clothing, wearing a dark surgical-style mask and a hat. The suspect’s face is largely obscured, making identification difficult.

The FBI described the suspect as male, approximately 5 feet 8 inches tall, with a stocky build. Officials have emphasized that these characteristics are estimates based on available footage and may not be exact.

To encourage tips, the FBI’s Boston field office announced a $50,000 reward for information leading to the identification, arrest, and conviction of the shooter. Law enforcement officials stressed that tips can be submitted anonymously.

Despite the extensive investigation, authorities have not yet identified a motive. Officials have cautioned against speculation, saying there is no evidence at this time that the attack was linked to terrorism, ideology, or any specific grievance.

The investigation has not been without setbacks. On Sunday, police detained a 24-year-old man from Wisconsin at a hotel in Coventry, Rhode Island, after receiving an anonymous tip. That individual was initially labeled a “person of interest,” but was released later that night when investigators found no evidence connecting him to the shooting.

Attorney General Neronha reiterated that the man had been fully cleared and is no longer part of the investigation.

“This is how investigations work,” Neronha said. “We follow leads. Sometimes they pan out, sometimes they don’t. That does not mean we stop.”

The release of the individual sparked frustration among some students and community members, who expressed concern about how close authorities truly are to finding the shooter.

The two victims killed in the mass shooting were undergraduate students at Brown University. MuhammadAziz Umurzakov was a first-year student from Midlothian, Virginia. His family described him as intelligent, warm-hearted, and ambitious, with dreams of becoming a neurosurgeon. His sister wrote in a fundraising campaign that he was “incredibly kind, funny, and smart,” and that his death had left the family devastated.

The second victim, Ella Cook, was a sophomore from Mountain Brook, Alabama. She served as vice president of Brown’s chapter of College Republicans of America and was known among classmates for her strong convictions and leadership. The organization released a statement honoring her “bold, brave, and kind heart.”

Brown University President Christina H. Paxson addressed the campus community in a statement, calling the loss “unimaginable.”

“These were two young people whose amazing promise was extinguished too soon,” Paxson said. “They were at the beginning of their Brown journey—and truly, at the beginning of so many things in life.”

Several other students were injured in the shooting, though their names and conditions have not been publicly released due to privacy concerns. Authorities have said some victims remain hospitalized.

In the immediate aftermath of the attack, Brown canceled all remaining classes, exams, papers, and projects for the semester. The university also offered counseling services and expanded mental health resources for students, faculty, and staff.

However, frustration has grown among students over what they perceive as inadequate security and communication. Some students who were forced to shelter in place for hours said their sense of safety on campus has been permanently damaged.

“There’s fear in the air,” one student told reporters. “Even walking to class feels different now.”

Questions have also been raised about the lack of surveillance cameras in key campus buildings. University officials acknowledged the concern and said security infrastructure will be reviewed.

Governor Dan McKee said the state is working with local officials and university leaders to assess broader safety issues across Rhode Island’s campuses.

“We’ve met with all the university presidents in the state,” McKee said Tuesday. “We want to start a working group focused on enhancing safety and preventing something like this from happening again.”

Although Mayor Smiley has repeatedly said there is no new credible threat to the Brown community or the city at large, the fear has prompted several private schools in Providence to close temporarily. Providence Public Schools canceled after-school activities, sports, and field trips for the week as a precaution.

Some college students in the city have begun circulating petitions calling for increased campus security, more controlled building access, and improved emergency alert systems.

As the manhunt continues, authorities remain adamant that public cooperation is essential.

“We believe someone out there knows something,” Perez said. “One tip, one image, one moment of recognition could bring justice to these families and begin the healing process for this community.”

Officials urged anyone with information, no matter how small it may seem, to come forward as the search for the gunman enters its critical days.

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