PROVIDENCE, R.I. — December 16, 2025 — The manhunt for the gunman responsible for the deadly shooting at Brown University continues today, with law enforcement confirming the killer remains at large after a dramatic turn in the investigation. Authorities, including the Providence Police Department and the FBI, have redoubled their efforts, releasing new video footage of a person of interest and offering a substantial reward for information.
The latest developments follow the high-profile release of the sole person of interest detained over the weekend. On Sunday night, authorities announced that the individual, identified by sources as a 24-year-old military veteran from Wisconsin, was being released after evidence was found to point “in a different direction.” Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Neronha noted that while some evidence initially pointed to the individual, it could not be corroborated or confirmed to link him to the attack. This abrupt shift in focus has reset the investigation and caused fresh anxiety across the community.
The shooting, which occurred inside the university’s Barus and Holley engineering and physics building on Saturday during final exam week, claimed the lives of two students: Ella Cook, a sophomore from Alabama and vice-president of the Brown College Republicans, and Mukhammad Aziz Umurzokov, an 18-year-old freshman from Uzbekistan. Nine other students were wounded, with several remaining hospitalized as of Tuesday, some in critical but stable condition.
In an effort to generate new leads, Providence Police Chief Colonel Oscar L. Perez Jr. held a press conference to release additional photos and videos of the individual believed to be the shooter. The footage, some of which was captured about two hours before the attack, shows a person dressed in dark clothing, including a black beanie, a green jacket, and a surgical-style mask, walking in the College Hill neighborhood. Police chief Perez stated the individual was believed to be “casing the area” prior to the 4 p.m. shooting. Authorities are urging the public to scrutinize the individual’s posture, gait, and clothing, and to submit any video footage from nearby residential camera systems that might help identify the man who used a 9mm handgun in the attack. The gunman is described by the FBI as a male, approximately 5 feet, 8 inches tall with a stocky build.
To expedite the identification and capture of the suspect, the FBI has announced a reward of $50,000 for information leading to the identification, arrest, and conviction of the person responsible, who they stress is considered armed and dangerous.
The investigation has been complicated by the apparent lack of clear surveillance video from the older section of the Barus and Holley building where the shooting took place. While Brown University President Christina Paxson confirmed the campus is equipped with 1,200 cameras, the absence of clear interior footage of the gunman has forced investigators to rely heavily on tips and external residential video. The President also defended the university’s emergency response, noting the campus siren system was not activated as it might have caused people to rush into the building where the active shooter was located, a decision she affirmed was made for safety.
As the community remains on edge, law enforcement authorities, including the Rhode Island Attorney General, have asked the public for patience, emphasizing the complexity of processing “terabytes of data” to find a single, crucial moment that could solve the case.
Sources and Links
- PBS News:
https://www.pbs.org/newshour/nation/authorities-release-person-of-interest-detained-in-brown-university-shooting - The Guardian:
https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2025/dec/15/brown-university-shooting-manhunt-latest-updates - YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-uYVpqe7Qv4
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