Shooter Still on the Loose, Manhunt Intensifies

Police car with flashing lights at night.

A gunman walked into a crowded economics review session at Brown University and shattered the lives of eleven students in just minutes, turning final exam preparation into a deadly nightmare that has left authorities scrambling with more questions than answers.

Story Snapshot

Two Brown University students killed, nine wounded during final exam review session in engineering building
Shooter remains at large after person of interest was detained and released by authorities
Attack occurred on December 13th anniversary of Sandy Hook shooting, targeting packed classroom of 186 capacity
Over 400 law enforcement officers mobilized in ongoing manhunt across Providence, Rhode Island

Terror Strikes During Finals Week

The Barus and Holley Building buzzed with typical pre-exam energy on December 13, 2025, when students packed Room 166 for what should have been routine economics review. At 4:05 p.m., that normalcy exploded into chaos as a male shooter in dark clothing opened fire with a handgun. Within minutes, two promising lives were extinguished: Ella Cook, a Brown student from Alabama, and Mukhammad Aziz Umurzokov, a recent high school graduate just beginning his journey.

The gunman’s calculated timing maximized devastation. Finals week naturally concentrates students in academic buildings, and the engineering facility’s unlocked doors provided easy access. Shell casings scattered across the first floor told the story of violence that lasted mere minutes but will echo for decades.

Campus Transforms Into War Zone

Brown University’s ivy-covered tranquility shattered as emergency alerts blared across campus at 4:22 p.m. Students who moments earlier worried about exam scores suddenly found themselves barricaded in classrooms, texting desperate updates to frantic parents. The shooter had vanished onto Hope Street, leaving behind a crime scene that would draw over 400 officers from local, state, and federal agencies.

Providence Mayor Brett Smiley coordinated the massive response while university President Christina Paxson faced every administrator’s worst nightmare. The ATF and FBI descended on the Ivy League campus, transforming the historic institution into an active investigation zone. Student Ref Bari, who witnessed the attack, later described the terrifying moments as chaos erupted around studying classmates.

False Hopes and Continued Fear

Hope flickered briefly when authorities detained a person of interest, but that flame extinguished quickly. The individual was released, resetting the manhunt to square one and leaving a community desperately seeking closure without answers. The timing couldn’t be more haunting – December 13th marked the anniversary of Sandy Hook, a coincidence that Sandy Hook Promise noted in their statement the following day.

As of December 14th, eight victims remained hospitalized with one in critical condition. Rhode Island Hospital became the epicenter of a community’s prayers as families rushed to bedside vigils. The university canceled all remaining fall semester classes and exams, acknowledging that healing must precede academics when tragedy strikes so close to home.

Questions Without Answers

The investigation has produced more mysteries than solutions. Security footage captured the suspect’s escape route, but his identity, motive, and method of entry remain unknown. Police have requested doorbell camera footage from the surrounding neighborhood, casting a wide net in their search for clues. The fact that authorities felt confident enough to detain someone, only to release them, suggests either mistaken identity or insufficient evidence.

This attack exposes uncomfortable realities about campus security in America. Brown University, founded in 1764 and steeped in academic tradition, never experienced such violence. The unlocked academic buildings that facilitate learning also provide vulnerabilities that every institution must now reconsider. The shooter’s apparent familiarity with the building layout and timing suggests either inside knowledge or careful planning.