Search for the Brown University gunman resumes after person of interest released

Authorities continued their search for a gunman who attacked students at Brown University, killing two and wounding nine others (Leah Willingham/AP)

Police renewed their search for a gunman who killed two students and injured nine others a day after releasing a man they believed was a person of interest.

Authorities knocked on doors, searching for any video there might be of the Brown University gunman, who was seen in grainy footage walking away from the weekend attack.

🚨1/4 We are requesting the public's assistance in identifying a person of interest in Saturday's incident at Brown University. Please share these video clips and direct all tips to 401-272-3121 or https://t.co/8a1yEMYJya pic.twitter.com/D63mcbnq8J

— Providence Police (@ProvidenceRIPD) December 15, 2025

Police renewed their search after releasing a person of interest on Sunday once they determined the evidence pointed elsewhere. Meanwhile, details began to emerge about the students who were killed.

During a news conference on Monday, authorities released three new videos of the man they believe carried out the attack.

In the videos, which were captured about two hours before the shooting, the man was wearing a mask and a dark two-tone jacket.

Although his face wasn’t visible, the videos provided the clearest images yet of the suspect.

“We want to identify the individual and bring them to justice,” said Providence’s police chief, Col Oscar Perez, noting that police responded within minutes of getting the initial 911 calls on Saturday.

🚨2/4 We are requesting the public's assistance in identifying a person of interest in Saturday's incident at Brown University. Please share these video clips and direct all tips to 401-272-3121 or https://t.co/8a1yEMYJya pic.twitter.com/5hLiqRDtC4

— Providence Police (@ProvidenceRIPD) December 15, 2025

He urged the public to call a tip line with any information about the man in the videos, which he said would be posted on social media.

Attorney General Peter Neronha described the day’s work as “making steady progress”.

“The sooner we can identify this person, the sooner we can blow this case open,” he said.

The lockdown order for the Ivy League school was lifted on Sunday after authorities announced that they’d detained a person of interest in the attack.

But hopes for a quick resolution were dashed when they announced hours later that they had released the man because the evidence pointed elsewhere.

The abrupt change of direction marked a setback in the investigation as questions swirl about campus security, the apparent lack of school video evidence and whether the focus on the person of interest gave the attacker more time to escape.

🚨3/4 We are requesting the public's assistance in identifying a person of interest in Saturday's incident at Brown University. Please share these images and direct all tips to 401-272-3121 or https://t.co/8a1yEMYJya pic.twitter.com/E3dKGS7BUH

— Providence Police (@ProvidenceRIPD) December 15, 2025

Colin Moussette, who has friends at Brown and is considering enrolling next fall, said while visiting the campus Monday that he felt uneasy knowing the suspect hadn’t been caught.

“How someone got away, like in the middle of the day is, to me, not only heartbreaking but very concerning,” he said. “How they got access to the building is concerning.”

Before Monday’s news conference, police released a second video showing someone dressed in all black walking along a city street minutes after the shooting. The video — like an earlier one released the day of the shooting — did not show the suspect’s face.

The shooting happened in an auditorium-style classroom where students in a study group were preparing for an upcoming exam.

Ella Cook, a 19-year-old who was vice president of the Brown College Republicans and beloved in her church in Birmingham, Alabama, was one of the students killed, according to her pastor.

In announcing her death on Sunday, the Rev R Craig Smalley described Miss Cook as “an incredible grounded, faithful, bright light” who encouraged and “lifted up those around her”.

Martin Bertao, the president of the club, said in a message posted on X: “Ella was known for her bold, brave, and kind heart as she served her chapter and her fellow classmates.”

My heart breaks for the families of Ella Cook and Mukhammad Aziz Umurzokov, two bright young students whose lives were taken far too soon at Brown University.

We will not stop fighting for justice for them. pic.twitter.com/XZT5PewQyp

— Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) December 15, 2025

The other student who was killed was Mukhammad Aziz Umurzokov, an 18-year-old studying biochemistry and neuroscience.

He was helping a friend at a review session for an economics exam when he was shot, his sister said.

As a child, Mr Umurzokov suffered a neurological condition that required surgery, and he later wore a back brace because of scoliosis, said Samira Umurzokova, noting that the family immigrated to the US from Uzbekistan when she, her brother and sister were young.

“He had so many hardships in his life, and he got into this amazing school and tried so hard to follow through with the promise he made when he was seven years old,” she told the Associated Press.

Only one of the nine people wounded had been released as of Sunday, Brown President Christina Paxson said.

One was in critical condition and the other seven were in critical but stable condition.