PROVIDENCE, R.I. — The search for the gunman who opened fire at Brown University entered its fifth day on Wednesday, with law enforcement officials shifting their focus toward identifying a potential witness seen in “close proximity” to the suspect.
The shooting, which occurred on the afternoon of Saturday, December 13, 2025, inside the Barus and Holley engineering building, left two students dead and nine others wounded. The victims have been identified as Ella Cook, a sophomore from Alabama and vice president of the Brown College Republicans, and MuhammadAziz Umurzakov, a freshman from Virginia who immigrated from Uzbekistan.
The Search for a New Lead
Providence Police Chief Col. Oscar Perez announced during a Wednesday evening briefing that investigators are seeking a second individual captured on surveillance footage. While this person is not currently considered a suspect, police believe they may have critical information regarding the shooter’s identity or movements.
“They were close enough that we feel that we need to speak with them,” Perez stated, though he did not provide a detailed description of the witness beyond their proximity to the “person of interest” (POI) in the moments surrounding the attack.
Suspect Profile and Evidence
The primary suspect is described by the FBI as a male, approximately 5-foot-8 with a stocky build. Enhanced surveillance footage shows the individual dressed in dark clothing, a dark surgical-style mask, and a hat. Authorities believe the gunman may have been “casing” the College Hill neighborhood as early as 10:30 a.m. on the day of the shooting.
Despite the university’s network of nearly 800 cameras, a reported “blind spot” near the engineering building has complicated the identification process. However, investigators confirmed they have recovered:
- 9mm ballistics evidence from the scene.
- DNA evidence currently undergoing forensic analysis.
- Terabytes of data from residential doorbell cameras in the surrounding East Side neighborhood.
Community Impact
The university has canceled all remaining exams and projects for the semester, and many students have already departed for winter break. The FBI is offering a $50,000 reward for information leading to an arrest.
An earlier person of interest, a 24-year-old military veteran from Wisconsin, was detained on Sunday but subsequently released after investigators determined the evidence “pointed in a different direction.”
Sources
- The Washington Post: Authorities release person of interest in Brown University shooting
- CBS News: Witnesses’ description of Brown University shooter matches person of interest
- FBI. Seeking Information – Brown University Shooting
- The Guardian: Brown University shooting: police release more videos
- Fox News: Brown University shooting person of interest spotted in new images
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