The search for the gunman who killed two students and injured nine others at one of the country’s top universities continues into its fifth day.
Brown University student escorted from library to safety by police
Police escorted a Brown University student from hiding in a library to safety after a shooting on campus.
As Rhode Island residents grieve, the FBI hopes a new digitally enhanced video will help gather information from the public that will help it track down the perpetrators behind the brazen attack at Brown University that killed two people and injured nine others over the weekend.
It is unclear whether police and federal agents were able to pursue a large-scale manhunt across Rhode Island and elsewhere. Police said the enhanced video includes a clear image of a masked man purposefully walking through a Providence neighborhood, possibly besieging the area before the attack.
That person is not just a person of interest, but the probable shooting suspect, Providence Police Chief Col. Oscar Perez.
Authorities said at a news conference Tuesday night that any indication of the shooter’s motive is still unclear. Attorney General Peter Neronha said speculation about what the alleged gunman was shouting before he opened fire, although witnesses disagree on whether he said anything, was “a dangerous path to take, especially in today’s environment.”
Neronha said the investigation team had “zero” information about a motive.
The shooting shook the community of Providence and Brown University, one of the nation’s oldest and most prestigious universities. On Sunday, trees and menorahs were lit, turning it into a solemn candlelight vigil for the victims of the attack. The university plans to host a virtual interfaith prayer meeting on Wednesday.
The two students killed in the shooting were identified as Mohammad Aziz Umurzokov and Ella Cook, the university said.
A top Providence police officer said the person in black clothing seen in the video footage shared by the FBI was likely more than just someone involved in the shooting.
“We have a lot of clues here that point to the man in this video being the person who committed this tragedy,” said Providence Police Chief Col. Oscar Perez.
The chief did not say what other clues indicated about the person in the video footage.
Witnesses said the person was possibly in his 30s, and it was unclear whether the person was related to Brown, Perez said.
Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Neronha said there was “no indication of any motive related to ethnicity or political outlook.”
“This is a dangerous road,” the attorney general said, adding that one or two witnesses heard the gunman “screaming something,” but others could not hear him.
Neronha said at a press conference Tuesday night. Around the same time, Brown issued a statement dispelling rumors about potential suspects and imploring people not to target individuals. The university removed a webpage featuring community members, saying there had been “harmful disclosure of personal information.”
Brown University President Christina Paxson on Tuesday confirmed the identities of two students shot and killed on campus over the weekend, saying both were nearing the start of their college careers.
Paxson said Ella Cook was a sophomore and Muhammad Aziz Umurzokov was in his first semester. Paxson said Cook was an “accomplished competitive pianist,” vice president of the school’s Republican club, a member of Alpha Chi Omega sorority and a volunteer at her home church in Alabama. Umruzokov plans to focus on biochemistry and molecular biology before becoming a neurosurgeon, Paxson said, and served as president of the Model United Nations chapter and captain of the Scholastic Bowl team at his Virginia high school.
“Both were wonderful and beloved members of the campus community, but even more so, loved by their friends and family. Our hearts will forever be with them,” Paxson said.
Contribution: Providence Journal
