Both Deceased Students Identified in Brown University Incident as Authorities Continue Manhunt for Gunman.

Two students who lost their lives in the recent violent attack at Brown University were honored at the start of the week – as a manhunt for their assailant carried on following the freeing by authorities in Rhode Island of the only individual questioned in the case.

Honoring a Lost Student

Ella Cook, a sophomore from Alabama, was described as “an amazing, stable, pious, radiant soul”, as stated by the Advent Cathedral in Birmingham, which offered condolences for her at a service on Sunday.

Cook was the vice-presidency of Brown’s branch of the College Republicans organization, the group said. Karoline Leavitt also shared sympathies online, remarking: “It's indescribable. Remembering her loved ones and companions, especially her parents.”

An International Student

The second fatality was MukhammadAziz Umurzokov, a citizen of Uzbekistan in his freshman year at the renowned school, according to relatives.

His name was verified by the Uzbek Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

“He was exceptionally gentle, witty, and bright. He had big dreams of entering the field of neurosurgery and aiding others,” his sister, Samira Umurzokova said in a online post.

What Happened

Nine other people were injured in the weekend shooting in the engineering department of Brown’s grounds in Providence, during the school’s final exam period.

Law enforcement reported late Sunday that a 24-year-old male taken into custody in a police operation at a Hampton Inn about around 27 kilometers from the university earlier in the day was set to be freed.

“We have a murderer out there,” declared Peter Neronha, Peter Neronha.

He added, “Investigations can lead one way, and then you have to regroup and go in another, and this is precisely what occurred over the last day or so.”

Ongoing Concerns

Providence’s mayor, Brett Smiley, acknowledged: “We know that this is likely to cause fresh anxiety for our public”.

The assailant discharged a weapon inside a lecture hall in the building on over the weekend, shooting over four dozen bullets from a handgun, a law enforcement official reported to the Associated Press.

Officers that raided the inn found two firearms and two ammunition clips when the suspect was taken into custody, according to reports.

Those Hurt

Of the nine hurt, one student was discharged from care, said the university president, Christina Paxson. Seven others were in serious yet stable state, and another was critically ill, officials reported on Sunday.

A private school, a private academy in North Carolina, said a former student, Kendall Turner, was one of the critically injured.

More Condolences

Tributes were paid to Cook at a religious service in Birmingham on Sunday. A pastor commented, “She shone as a remarkable, stable, devout beacon not only in her youth... but at the university she was an incredible light in that specific location as well.”

Martin Bertao, Martin Bertao, posted a statement from the group. “She was famed for her courageous, valiant, and compassionate nature as she aided her club and fellow classmates,” he said.

An American diplomat, Jonathan Henick, said he was “extremely sorrowful” by Umurzokov’s death in a tribute. “We offer our heartfelt sympathies to the Umurzokov family, loved ones, and peers and lament the passing of his bright future.”

National Context

The fatal shooting at Brown, the nation’s seventh-oldest higher education institution with about thousands of bachelor's and postgraduate students, happened during one of at least 392 mass shootings recorded nationally so far in 2025, according to statistics. Monday was the 349th day of the year.