Brown university shooting: hunt for suspect resumes as victims named – live updates

From 4h agoShooting victims named in reports as Mukhammad Aziz Umurzokov and Ella CookThe two people killed in Saturday’s shooting have been identified as Mukhammad Aziz Umurzokov and Ella Cook, according to reports.Aspiring neurosurgeon Umurzokov was identified by his family in a Gofundme page. In a message on the site, they said: “He was incredibly kind, funny, and smart. He had big dreams of becoming a neurosurgeon and helping people. He continues to be my family’s biggest role model in all aspects.“He always lent a helping hand to anyone in need without hesitation, and was the most kind-hearted person our family knew. Our family is incredibly devastated by this loss.”The Gofundme appeal had raised nearly $230,000 by Monday morning.MukhammadAziz Umurzokov. Photograph: GoFundMeThe Providence Journal reports that Cook’s death was announced during a service at the Cathedral Church of the Advent in Birmingham, Alabama, where she was reportedly a parishioner. The Rev Craig Smalley said in livestreamed remarks: “Many of you heard about the tragedy ... And sadly, tragically, one of those people is one of our parishioners.”Ella Cook Photograph: GoFundMeSmalley said Cook was a “bright light”, “incredibly grounded and generous and faithful”.Key events2h agoAuthorities ask public for tips as manhunt for shooter continues3h agoProvidence mayor says search for shooter continues after person of interest released3h agoElla Cook called 'an incredible light' in tributes after shooting3h agoMukhammad Aziz Umurzokov remembered for 'sharp intellect, kind heart'4h agoShooting victims named in reports as Mukhammad Aziz Umurzokov and Ella Cook4h agoBrown University cancels 'all remaining in-person exams' for the semester5h ago'Person of interest' detained over Brown University shooting is to be released, officials sayShow key events onlyPlease turn on JavaScript to use this featureMichelle R Smith reporting from Providence, Rhode Island:Tensions ran high in Providence on Monday near the Brown University campus, after authorities said they were still searching for a suspect and would release a person of interest they detained over the weekend.In midmorning, sirens could be heard racing through the city’s East Side, where Brown is located. Police later said in a post on X that they responded to a call of shots fired at an apartment complex a few blocks from Brown’s campus. Police said the reports were unfounded: the loud noise came from a boiler backfire in the building. But they said they set up a perimeter around the area and cleared the building as a precaution.Meanwhile, all Providence public schools were open with what the district told parents would be an increased safety presence, while many private schools in the neighborhood closed.Foot and car traffic in the area around Brown was notably diminished from a typical Monday in early December, and a news helicopter circled the neighborhood all morning.US Representative Seth Magaziner, a Democrat of Rhode Island, who is an alumni of Brown University, told MS NOW that people in Providence are feeling “shocked” “sad and upset”. “The last couple of days, people have really been stepping up to look out for each other” Magaziner said. “Rhode Island’s a small state, providence is a small, tight-knit city. It’s a place where people help each other and grieve together. This is also a place where things like this do not happen often. ““Prior to the terrible shooting at Brown, there had only been two homicides in the city of Providence all year, and so I think the mood here is that people are feeling shocked, people are sad and upset” the Congressman added. “But more than anything else, I think people are looking out for each other.”Magaziner said that he spoke with the director of the Rhode Island Blood Center, who told him that Sunday was the busiest day the center had had “since 9/11” because “so many people had turned out to donate blood”.Magaziner said now that authorities do not have anyone in custody, “everyone’s concerned and people are taking precautions, some schools in the area have been shut down, for example.”He said that he knows that the authorities and police are going to “work around the clock as hard as they can for as long as it takes until they find this guy.’Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin said on social media that he was praying “for the victims of the horrendous act of evil at Brown University”.“Ella Cook from Birmingham, Alabama, and Midlothian High School’s own Mukhammad Aziz Umurzokov” he wrote. “We lift up their families, friends and communities in a prayer of comfort and peace.”Virginia’s governor-elect Abigail Spanberger has also paid tribute to one of the two shooting victims, Mukhammad Aziz Umurzokov.“I am heartbroken to learn that Mukhammad Aziz Umurzokov — who just graduated from Midlothian High School — is among the victims of the horrific act of violence at Brown University” Spanberger said on X. “Adam and I are praying for his family and all those impacted by this tragedy.”On Sunday, Brown University President Christina Paxson said that in addition to the two students who were killed in the shooting, seven students were in critical but stable condition, one student remained in critical condition, and said that one student was treated on Saturday and released.“Our prayers continue to be with them and their families” Paxson said on Sunday. “We have reached out to the families of all the hospitalized shooting victims and are offering any support we can. I have spoken to some of the families and expect to speak to others soon. Our hearts go out to all of them, and we stand ready to give them anything they need.”Jack Reed, Democratic senator of Rhode Island, said that the shooting has “touched everyone in Rhode Island, particularly our law enforcement officers”. He added that the officers will “not rest until they have brought this individual to justice, and they are working overtime, triple time to get the job done”.In an interview with CNN on Monday, Reed said that “as the mayor has indicated, he’s doing an excellent job, along with state officials and all of our law enforcement personnel, they have gathered a great deal of information.”Reed said that authorities had thought that the evidence “pointed towards the individual they took into custody” but that then, “they were able, I think appropriately, to determine that was not accurate” he said. “But they are relentless.”“I think we’ll get there,” he added, “but this is a disappointing setback. What they’ve done is determined that shelter in place is not necessary, but they’ve intensified police operations in the city, particularly around the campus.”Richard LuscombeThe mayor of Providence conceded on Monday that the release of the person of interest arrested a day earlier in connection with the Brown University shooting was a “setback”.But Brett Smiley stressed the investigation had proceeded “at full speed” while the person was in custody, and repeated his belief that there was no threat to the community even while the gunman remained at large.The Democrat was speaking on CNN, where he said investigators were “running down tips that have come in [and] leads that have been developed”.Smiley said: “I want to be clear that while we certainly were focused on processing evidence for the person of interest who was detained, that didn’t mean that the other pieces of the investigation were stopped or in any way paused.“Obviously we’re disappointed that the person needed to be released because of the evidence that had been examined, and it’s a setback, to be clear. Those frustrations, I’m sure, are being felt by more than just me.”Smiley said the lack of a “credible or specific threat” since the shooting at about 4pm on Saturday assured him that there was no further threat to public safety.He said several “false” calls were received, but “we believe it is safe and appropriate for residents in Providence to be sending their kids to school today, and to be out in the community”.“The setback is not necessarily in terms of the investigation. Other aspects of the investigation remain at full speed,” he said.He said it was “an emotional letdown” to release the person: “The 24 hours where we thought we had a person of interest that might lead to something more concrete… [it] turns out that we’ve got a lot more work to do.”Authorities ask public for tips as manhunt for shooter continuesAs the investigation continues, authorities in Rhode Island are asking “anyone with relevant information, including video or photo evidence, to submit it by phone or through the FBI tip line”.Alabama senators have paid tribute to Ella Cook, one of the victims of the shooting, who was from Alabama.“I am heartbroken to hear that Mountain Brook’s Ella Cook was among those killed over the weekend at Brown University” Senator Tommy Tuberville said. “Our hearts and our prayers are with the Cook family and everyone impacted by this senseless killing.”In another post, Senator Katie Britt said that she joins the “Mountain Brook community and all of Alabama in mourning the heartbreaking loss of one of our own, Ella Cook, who was senselessly killed over the weekend on Brown University’s campus.”“There are no words that can ease the pain Ella’s family and friends are enduring right now” she said.The University of Rhode Island said that it will not hold in person exams today.Online exams, the school said, will proceed as scheduled.“Importantly, there is no known threat to our campuses” the university said. “This decision follows consideration of concerns shared by members of our community.”Providence mayor says search for shooter continues after person of interest releasedProvidence mayor Brett Smiley appeared on Good Morning America this morning, and said that after authorities reviewed the evidence in the case, it was “determined that this person of interest needed to be released”.“We continue with our investigation” Smiley said. “To be clear, we’ve never stopped our investigation. Providence police and our partners at the State Police, the FBI and others have continuously run down leads and worked this case beyond the person of interest who had been detained.”“As you have seen many times, we do have a short small clip of video footage that we do believe is the person that we’re looking for” he said. “And right now we don’t have any evidence to suggest that it was more than that individual which has been seen in that video.”The mayor said that there is currently enhanced police presence both on campus at Brown and throughout the city of Providence.Ella Cook called 'an incredible light' in tributes after shootingOne of the victims killed in Saturday’s shooting has been identified as student Ella Cook, who was from Alabama.Her name was announced during a church service at the Cathedral Church of the Advent in Birmingham, Alabama, where the Reverend said she attended.“Tragically, one of our parishioners, Ella Cook, was one of those who was killed yesterday,” Reverend Craig Smalley said during the service on Sunday, which was live streamed. “And those of you who knew her, those of you who know her, she was an incredible, grounded, faithful bright light.“Not only here growing up here at the Advent in the myriad ways in which she served faithfully and the ways in which she encouraged and lift up those around her, but at Brown University she was an incredible light in that particular place,” Smalley said.The New York Young Republican Club also put out a statement on Sunday expressing their “deepest condolences to the family of Ella Cook” who they said was “the Vice President of the College Republicans at Brown University.”In another statement, Martin Bertao, the president of the College Republicans of America, said that “we are devastated to learn of the loss of our Brown College Republicans Vice President, Ella Cook.”“Ella was known for her bold, brave, and kind heart as she served her chapter and her fellow classmates” they added.White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt reposted the College Republicans of America post, and wrote: “There are no words. Thinking of her family and friends, especially her parents. God please bless them.”Ella Cook Photograph: GoFundMe