Authorities in Providence, Rhode Island, resumed on Monday their search for the gunman who carried out the deadly weekend shooting at Brown University after a person of interest in the case was released from police custody.
Providence Mayor Brett Smiley said late Sunday at a press conference that he expects the development “to cause fresh anxiety” after the person of interest turned out not to be tied to the shooting that killed two people and wounded nine others on Saturday.
“We have a murderer out there,” state Attorney General Peter Neronha said at the briefing.
“This is what these investigations look like,” Mr. Neronha added. “Sometimes you head in one direction and you have to go in another, and that’s exactly what has happened over the last 24 hours or so.”
Mr. Neronha also said the lack of surveillance cameras inside the aging Barus & Holley building, where the shooting occurred, has prevented investigators from getting a clear image of the shooter.
“The reality is it’s an old building attached to a new one,” the state attorney general said. “We’re going to go out and find whatever evidence we can to solve this case as quickly as we can.”
Brown University urged the college community to stay alert as the manhunt resumes.
“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 university 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.”
Friends and family identified two of the victims killed by the gunfire Saturday afternoon.
Ella Cook, a 19-year-old sophomore at the Ivy League school, was identified as one of the slain victims during a Sunday church service in her hometown of Birmingham, Alabama.
Ms. Cook was vice president of Brown’s College Republicans club.
“Ella was a devoted Christian and a committed conservative who represented the very best of Alabama,” Lt. Gov. Will Ainsworth posted on X. “A bright future was ended much too soon.”
The other victim was Mukhammad Aziz Umurzokov, an Uzbek national who was studying neuroscience in his first year at Brown.
The American Uzbekistan Association said Mr. Umurzokov was “known for his sharp intellect, kind heart, and quiet willingness to help anyone in need.”
“He had a future filled with promise, and his life was cut short far too soon,” the organization said. “His passing has left an immeasurable void in the hearts of his friends, classmates, and the broader Uzbek American community.”
Police said shots first rang out around 4:40 p.m. Saturday inside the Barus & Holley building, where Brown’s School of Engineering and physics classes are held.
Authorities said the gunman entered a lecture hall before opening fire in the room. Law enforcement officials said the shooter fired more than 40 rounds into the classroom with a 9mm handgun.
Surveillance footage showed a man, wearing all black, calmly leaving the building after the shooting and walking toward Hope Street.
Police described the suspect as a man in his 30s.
After apprehending a person of interest early Sunday at a hotel in Coventry, which is about 17 miles southwest of Brown’s campus, police restarted the search for the killer by nightfall Sunday.
