Brown University shooting manhunt resets with release of person of interest

FBI Director Kash Patel said the agency has deployed additional resources Monday in an effort to track down leads in the Brown University shooting.

FBI Director Kash Patel reiterated Monday that the agency remains fully committed to assisting in the investigation of the Brown University shooting, including deploying additional resources and personnel.

“At this time, the FBI continues to act in an assisting role with the Providence PD leading the investigation,” Patel said in a post on X.

“We will continue providing all assets, resources, and personnel necessary to support. We sent additional resources and personnel earlier today to help track down leads, canvass neighborhoods, and develop intelligence. Our Evidence Response Team remains on campus processing the scene, and our Lab at Quantico is assisting as well.”

Patel reminded the public that the FBI is offering up to $50,000 for information leading to the suspect’s identification and arrest, and that new photos of the person of interest have been released.

“This evening, FBI and partners released new photos of the person of interest,” he said. “The FBl is offering a reward of up to $50,000 for information leading to the identification, arrest, and conviction of the individual. Anyone with information please contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI (225-5324) or the Providence Police Department at 401-272-3121. You can also visit tips.fbi.gov.”

“Most importantly - please continue praying for Brown University, the victims in this horrible tragedy, and all their families and friends.”

Providence Police vehicle near Brown University on Saturday, Dec. 12, amid ongoing active shooting incident. (Credit: Andrea Margolis / Fox News Digital)

The Providence Police Department wants to speak with anyone from Brown University who was in the building where a gunman killed two students over the weekend.

“The Providence Police Department has asked that anyone from Brown who was in Barus & Holley on Friday or Saturday, Dec. 12-13, arrange for an interview,” the school said in a message posted on X.

“Even an incidental detail may be helpful in investigating,” the message continued.

Those reaching out to the police are being asked to provide their name, email and the time frame and their location in the building at the time they were there. 

Flowers and notes placed after the Brown University shooting, as seen in Providence, R.I. (Andrea Margolis/Fox News Digital)

A Brown University student who works in the building where a gunman opened fire over the weekend, killing two people, is feeling scared about her safety on the Ivy League campus amid a manhunt for the shooter.

Lydia, a Ph.D engineering student who declined to give her last name, told Fox News Digital that she works in the basement of the Barus & Holley academic building,

“I know exactly the classroom that this happened in,” she said. “I had my orientation there. I can't tell you how many times I've walked past that room.”

“It's weird that I had a Zoom call with my lab today because we couldn't meet in person in our lab,” she added. “And I don't know when my lab is not going to be considered an active crime scene.”

Lydia said she hopes the gunman, who remains on the loose, is caught quickly.

“I've never felt unsafe walking anywhere until now,” she said.

A Brown University graduate student who has now lived through two campus shootings says she is in disbelief after the suspect initially detained in Sunday night’s shooting was released less than a day later.

Sachi Gandhi, a second-year biotech master’s student, told Fox News Digital she was at her off-campus home in Fox Point when the gunfire broke out.

The moment triggered memories of the 2023 shooting at the University of North Carolina, where she spent eight hours locked in a lab while a professor was killed in a nearby building.

"I was in lab — I was locked in lab for like eight hours," Gandhi said. "It was very similar to this in the sense that not a lot of students knew what was going on. Everyone was feeding each other misinformation because everyone’s scared. Everyone is just so scared when they hear stuff."

Gandhi stressed that the two shootings were very different, noting the Brown incident involved multiple victims — a "mass casualty," in her words. But the emotional experience, she said, was still "equally as scary."

Speaking about the Brown shooting, Gandhi said students initially breathed a sigh of relief when police announced they had taken a suspect into custody. But when authorities later released that same individual, panic spread across campus.

"It was really, really scary," she told Fox News Digital. "Most of my friends have already left. My parents called saying they were driving up from Georgia to get me."

Videos released by authorities shows a person of interest walking the streets hours before a gunman opened fire at Brown University.

The Providence Police Department released the footage to the public in an effort to identify the person seen on camera.

Authorities described him as approximately 5 feet 8 inches tall with a stocky build.

Images show a person dressed in dark clothing with a face mask and beanie walking in what appears to be a residential area.

The Barus and Holley Engineering building at Brown University. (Credit: Andrea Margolis / Fox News Digital)

Police in Providence said the school would have to answer as to why no sirens went off during the shooting at Brown University.

Providence Mayor Brett Smiley was asked if he has spoken with the university about its alarm system, but deferred the question to Brown, which did not have a representative at a Monday evening news conference where authorities released new images of a person of interest.

Instead, the mayor praised the police response, saying it was “swift" and “timely” after authorities received the initial call about the attack.

“Brown has to answer that question,” Smiley said of the university's alert system. “The police response to the initial call was swift, timely. We don't believe there was any… it could not have happened any faster than did.”

“I can't speak to honestly. Don't know a lot about their alarm system,” he added. “You'd have to ask them about it. But in terms of our response, it was nearly immediately.”

A Brown University student kneels in front of a memorial at the Barus & Holley School on Monday. (Photo by Suzanne Kreiter/The Boston Globe via Getty Images)

The Rhode Island Republican Party said it was "devastated" to learn of the death of Ella Cook, vice president of the Brown College Republicans, following the deadly mass shooting at a Brown University academic building.

Joe Powers, chairman of the RIGOP, described Cook as a "bold, faithful, and inspiring young conservative leader" who fearlessly shared beliefs on campus.

"Described by those who knew her as a ‘bright light,’ kind, and grounded, Ella embodied the very best of the next generation of conservative voices," he said in a statement.

"We extend our deepest condolences and fervent prayers to Ella’s family, her congregation at Cathedral Church of the Advent in Birmingham, AL, her friends, the Brown College Republicans, the entire Brown University community, MukhammadAziz Umurzakov and his family during this time of profound grief and anxiety," he added, referring to Umurzakov, the second victim killed in the attack. "Our thoughts are with students across Rhode Island who are reeling in fear from this terrible event, and with our law enforcement community as they continue to exhaust all measures in bringing the murderer to justice."

Cook was a sophomore at the university.

Authorities continue to search for evidence following the mass shooting at Brown University. (AP Photo/Kimberlee Kruesi)

Rhode Islanders are calling for answers from authorities as the Brown University gunman remains on the loose.

On Monday, Fox News Digital spoke with Eve Stieglitz, whose parents live close to Brown University on Providence's East Side.

Stieglitz, who was in the area for the holidays, said that Rhode Islanders have "zero faith in the security system right now."

"People are shocked by the lack of footage and very uncomfortable," she said.

“There are thousands of cameras in that neighborhood and around campus — I don’t understand how this could go amiss. How is there no video of the shooter? I don’t understand how a $70,000-a-year university doesn’t have that level of security."

Stieglitz also described the East Side as "tight-knit" and called for members of the public to share their eyewitness accounts. "What did the killer look like? What was said? The public deserves that information," she said. “The shooter is still at large, and that's really troubling."

As the manhunt for the Brown University gunman continues, Providence residents are on high alert against danger.

Fox News Digital spoke with a Providence resident named Seth, who works in real estate. Though he was out of town during the shooting, he said several tenants contacted him.

"[They] called me to ask for better security at the property, and one asked me to send someone immediately to repair the front exterior door lock which hasn't been working well because she felt unsafe with a shooter out there," he said. "I totally understand."

"I live in the area. I regularly leave my door unlocked...bad habit maybe, but I've never had an issue before this... it's a very safe neighborhood."

"When I got in after the trip, I was legitimately scared to enter," he added. "Because of this, I'll start locking my door."

President Donald Trump speaks during a Mexican Border Defense Medal presentation in the Oval Office of the White House on Monday in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

President Donald Trump said he hopes authorities capture the “animal” responsible for the deadly shooting at Brown University.

Trump was speaking to reporters Monday when he was asked about a potential motive for the attack.

“No, we don't. Hopefully they're going to capture this animal,” he said in the Oval Office.

Trump was further asked if FBI Director Kash Patel has told him why authorities have not identified the shooter or made an arrest.

“You really have to ask the school a little bit more about that because, you know, this was a school problem,” Trump replied. “They had their own guards. They had their own police, had their own everything. But you'd have to ask that question really to the school, not to the FBI. We came in after the fact, and the FBI will do a good job, but they came in after the fact.”

The FBI is assisting local law enforcement in Rhode Island in their investigation but is not the lead agency. 

Investigators on Monday continued to comb through bushes looking for forensic evidence next to the Brown University academic building where the shooting occurred.

At least 20 law-enforcement agents from the FBI were seen outside the Barus and Holley engineering and physics building appearing to be looking for evidence. 

Behind the building, several law-enforcement agents were seen standing outside, one with a shovel.

FBI agents were also spotted walking around the building and digging their feet in the snow searching for evidence.

At one point, a female FBI agent collected an item and placed it in a brown bag. It's unclear what was collected. The FBI surged resources Monday morning at the request of Director Kash Patel.

The bureau isn't the lead agency in the investigation but is assisting local authorities.

Police in Providence, Rhode Island, are going to businesses and homes to ask for video footage to help investigators track down the gunman who killed two students and wounded nine others at Brown University, Providence Mayor Bret Smiley said Monday.

Smile advised the community that police have an “enhanced presence” in the city’s neighborhoods in the wake of the shooting.

He also reiterated officials’ calls for tips from the public.

The public can submit tips to police by calling (401) 272-3121 or via the FBI’s tipline.

File photo of Mukhammad Aziz Umurzokov who is reportedly one of the victims in the mass shooting incident at Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island, December 13, 2025. (GoFundMe)

The second victim killed in the Brown University campus shooting has been identified as 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,” Virginia Governor-elect Abigail Spanger wrote on X. “Adam and I are praying for his family and all those impacted by this tragedy.” 

Umurzokov’s family wrote in a GoFundMe post that he “had big dreams of becoming a neurosurgeon and helping people.” 

“He always lent a helping hand to anyone in need without hesitation, and was the most kind-hearted person our family knew,” the post read. “Our family is incredibly devastated by this loss.” 

The New York Times reported that Umurzokov and his family are naturalized citizens from Uzbekistan now living in Virginia.

Gov. Glenn Youngkin offered condolences for Umurzokov and the other student killed, Ella Cook, in a post on X. 

“We are 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,” the governor wrote. “We lift up their families, friends and communities in a prayer of comfort and peace.”

People place flowers at a makeshift memorial, Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025, on the campus of Brown University, not far from where a shooting took place on Saturday, in Providence, R.I. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)

One of the nine students wounded during the shooting at Brown University on Saturday has been identified as Kendall Turner.  

Durham Academy, the private K-12 school that Turner attended in Durham, North Carolina, told Fox News in a statement that Turner’s family informed them that she is receiving care at a local hospital. 

“We were deeply saddened to learn that Kendall Turner ‘25, a beloved Durham Academy alumna, was wounded in the mass shooting that occurred at Brown University,” the statement said. “Her family has informed us that she is currently in critical but stable condition and is receiving care at a local hospital.” 

It continued: “Her parents are with her. We hope for her continued strength and recovery.” 

Turner was one of nine students wounded when a gunman opened fire inside a classroom in the Barus and Holley engineering building around 4 p.m. Saturday. Two other students were killed. 

One of the students killed was identified as Alabama native Ella Cook, a 19-year-old sophomore and vice president of Brown College Republicans. 

The names of the other student victims were not immediately released to the public. 

“Our thoughts and prayers are with Kendall, her family, and all members of the Brown University community during this incredibly difficult time,” Durham Academy said. “Our school community is rallying around Kendall, her classmates, and her loved ones, and we will continue to offer our full support in the days ahead.” 

Fox News’ CB Cotton contributed to this report.

Police in Providence, Rhode Island, asked the community on Monday to submit any tips to authorities as they work to track down the gunman who killed two students and wounded nine others at Brown University. 

“As the investigation continues, we are asking anyone with relevant information, including video or photo evidence, to submit it by phone or through the FBI tip line,” read the police department’s post on X. 

The public can submit tips to police by calling (401) 272-3121 or via the FBI’s tipline.

A map showing the Barus and Holley Building at Brown University, where a gunman killed two and wounded nine Saturday, as well as the intersection where a dark-clad person of interest was seen on surveillance video. (Google Maps; Fox News Digital)

As authorities work to track down the Brown University gunman, this map shows the location of the shooting in relation to where surveillance video later captured a man dressed in all black at an intersection.

The shooting happened inside a classroom in the Barus and Holley engineering building around 4 p.m. Saturday. Two students were killed, and nine students were wounded.

According to video footage released by police, the suspected gunman was seen leaving the building on foot.

Officials have said the surveillance video is still the "most useful" to help track down the shooter.

Former FBI special agent Nicole Parker told “Fox & Friends First” that the detention and subsequent release of a person of interest in the Brown University shooting is how investigations work in the “real world.”

Parker said that while the release of the person of interest is “obviously not very good for this investigation,” it “does happen.”

“This is how investigations in the real world work," Parker said. "We’re used to watching television shows, movies where it’s solved within 60 minutes, and that’s not always the case.”

Parker said that the investigation remains “an all hands on deck” situation for authorities as they continue to hunt the gunman.

“They’ve got to go back to the drawing board,” she said of the investigators.

Parker said that as an investigator, it’s important to look whether the shooter was firing indiscriminately into the classroom or appeared to be a more targeted attack based on the victims.

The first victim of the Brown University shooting has been identified as sophomore Ella Cook, according to her home church in Alabama.

Cook, 19, was from Birmingham, Alabama, and served as vice president of Brown's college Republican club.

Cook was identified at one of the victims by during a service at the Cathedral Church of the Advent in Birmingham on Sunday.

The priest described Cook as a “tremendous bright light” for all who interacted with her.

Cook is survived by her parents and two siblings.

A bouquet of flowers rests on snow, Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025, on the campus of Brown University not far from where a shooting took place, in Providence, R.I. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)

Brown University urged its community to remain vigilant in a message late Sunday night after Providence police released a detained person of interest from custody and reset its manhunt for the gunman who killed two students and wounded nine others on Saturday. 

“As Providence police continue to lead this investigation, they have informed Brown that they are continuing their search efforts, which includes ongoing coordination with multiple agencies,” the message read, in part. “There continues to be a heightened amount of local, state and federal police activity in the area as law enforcement continues to investigate and patrol with increased vigilance.” 

The school said its Department of Public Safety has more than doubled its staffing following the deadly shooting. 

Brown acknowledged that there will be “numerous questions” surrounding the latest update, advising that the shooting remains an active investigation and police will release information as appropriate. 

“We continue to make every effort to ensure the safety and security of the campus,” the school said. “We are also advising every member of the Brown community to be vigilant in their own activities on campus.”

Authorities said the video showing a man dressed in all black is still the "most useful" to help track down the Brown University shooter.

Rhode Island AG Peter Neronha said if there was piece of video that they could use to show a face "you'd have it."

This update comes after police said they would release a person of interest that was taken into custody.

According to video footage released by police, the suspected gunman was seen leaving the building on foot.

The unidentified gunman appeared to be in his 30s, and was dressed in all black, according to Providence police.

Fox News Digital's Lorraine Taylor contributed to this update.

Credit: Andrea Margolis / Fox News Digital

Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Neronha had a tense exchange with reporters on Sunday when one questioned why there weren't enough cameras at Brown University to catch the gunman still at large.

"There just weren't a lot of cameras in that Brown building, is the reality," Neronha said.

"The reality is it's an old building attached to a new one," he added. "I don't know what to tell you, but we're going to go out and find whatever evidence we can to solve this case as quickly as we can."

"I mean, we're not holding back a video that we think would be useful. And I don't think I should even have to say it."

Fox News' CB Cotton contributed to this update.

A police vehicle is parked at an intersection near crime scene tape at Brown University, Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025, in Providence, R.I., following a Saturday shooting at the university. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)

Mayor Brett Smiley announced that police in Providence, Rhode Island, were releasing a person of interest in connection with the deadly shooting at Brown University, but the investigation remains ongoing and fully active across all agencies.

Smiley said via X that since the first 911 call, they had not received any specific threats to “our community.”

PPD is asking anyone with video or photo evidence to share it by calling 401-272-3121 or submitting it to the FBI tip line.