Providence police have identified the suspect in the deadly Brown University classroom shooting and obtained an arrest warrant, marking a major development in an investigation that has shaken the Ivy League campus and left two students dead and nine others wounded.
Law enforcement sources confirmed Thursday that investigators have zeroed in on a suspect tied to Saturday’s shooting inside the Barus and Holley engineering building, where students were attending final exams when gunfire erupted around 4 p.m. Authorities have not yet released the suspect’s name, citing operational concerns, but say the individual is now being actively sought.
The update comes after days of mounting public frustration over the pace of the investigation. Police initially detained a person of interest early Sunday morning, only to release that individual later the same day. At the time, officials stressed that the detention did not amount to an arrest and urged patience as the case unfolded.
Providence Police now have a warrant connected to the identified suspect. Investigators are also examining a possible connection between the Brown University shooting and the recent killing of an MIT professor in Massachusetts, though authorities have not confirmed whether the cases are formally linked.
BREAKING: Providence Police have identified the suspected Brown University shooter and have a warrant, according to my sources. Police are also investigating a possible link now between Brown University shooting and the murder of an MIT professor @FoxNews
— Brooke Taylor (@Brooketaylortv) December 18, 2025
The shooting claimed the lives of two Brown students. One victim, 19 year old Ella Cook, was identified by her church as a sophomore from Alabama. Cook also served as vice president of the Brown University College Republicans, a role that prompted an outpouring of tributes from classmates, faith leaders, and political organizations across the country.
The second victim was identified as Mukhammad Aziz Umurzokov, a freshman who was a naturalized U.S. citizen originally from Uzbekistan and living in Virginia. Friends and classmates described him as driven and focused on his studies, with a promising academic future cut short.
Nine other students were wounded in the attack. Officials have not provided detailed updates on their conditions, but all were transported to local hospitals following the shooting.
WATCH:
🚨 BREAKING: A person of interest has just been IDENTIFIED by police in the Brown University mass shooting – CBS
“Law enforcement has identified a person, and a search for that individual is underway.”
FIND THEM! At this point, the suspect could be getting VERY far away. pic.twitter.com/6XUqtyF7r3
— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) December 18, 2025
Surveillance video remains a central piece of the investigation. Police have released images and footage showing a man dressed entirely in black, wearing a mask and hat, walking through campus areas before the shooting. Providence Police Chief Oscar Perez previously said the footage appeared to show someone “casing” the area ahead of the attack.
“That’s something criminals do,” Perez said earlier this week.
On Wednesday, authorities released a new image of a person believed to have been in close proximity to the primary suspect. Perez said police want to speak with that individual, “who may have information relevant to the investigation.”
The FBI has joined the effort and is offering a $50,000 reward for information leading to the identification, arrest, and conviction of the person responsible. Brown University has increased security on campus and adjusted academic schedules as students process the violence.
Authorities continue to urge anyone with information to contact law enforcement as the manhunt intensifies.
This is a developing story…
