PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Law enforcement authorities continue their intensive search for a gunman responsible for a deadly campus shooting at Brown University that resulted in two fatalities and nine injuries, now entering its fourth day without a confirmed suspect in custody.
The tragic incident occurred during final examination period at the Barus and Holley engineering building, which was densely populated with students preparing for exams and the approaching Christmas break. According to eyewitness accounts, the shooting triggered an immediate campus-wide lockdown protocol, with students and faculty sheltering in place for several hours while police secured the area.
University administration confirmed the identities of the deceased as Mukhammad Aziz Umurzokov, an incoming freshman from Uzbekistan, and Ella Cook, an Alabama native and sophomore who served as vice-president of the university’s Republican club. A memorial vigil was held on campus to honor the victims, even as the institution canceled remaining in-person classes and examinations for the semester.
Despite initial detention of a person of interest on Sunday, Providence Police Department subsequently released the individual without charges, acknowledging that investigative leads remain limited. This development has compounded frustrations within the campus community, where many expected quicker resolution given Rhode Island’s status as one of America’s states with lowest violent crime rates, according to FBI Crime Data Explorer statistics.
The Gun Violence Archive has documented this incident as the 393rd mass shooting nationwide in 2025, placing renewed attention on firearm violence in educational environments. While university officials have stated there is no ongoing threat to campus safety, many students report persistent unease and concerns about security measures.
Graduate student Zico, who was present in the engineering building during the shooting, described sheltering beneath a desk while awaiting police assistance. “Beyond the immediate fear, what lingers is profound frustration,” he noted. “The perpetrator remains at large days later, with apparently minimal investigative progress.”
Another student, Bella Wang, recounted barricading herself in a third-floor classroom for nearly six hours after realizing the shooting was occurring in adjacent facilities. “The surreal nature of violence invading our academic environment remains difficult to process,” Wang stated. “Educational institutions should represent safety, but that fundamental trust has been profoundly shaken.”
As the campus partially reopens ahead of holiday break, university administrators face mounting pressure to enhance security protocols while addressing broader concerns about gun violence prevention in academic settings.