Manhunt enters fifth day: Police continue to search for the person who opened fire at Brown University during exams, with no confirmed suspect or motive.
Investigators released images seeking a witness who may have been near the person of interest and warned against sharing AI-generated images. Two students were killed, several others injured, and questions have been raised about campus camera coverage amid broader debate over U.S. gun policy.
A multi-day manhunt for the gunman who opened fire inside an exam room at Brown University continued into its fifth day on Wednesday, with investigators reporting no confirmed suspect or clear motive.
At a media briefing, Providence police released new images and asked the public to help identify a person believed to have been in close proximity to the suspected shooter on Brown's campus. Providence Police Chief Oscar Perez said the individual — pictured wearing a grey hooded sweatshirt and a dark overcoat — was 'close enough' to the person of interest that officers want to speak with them.
The shooting occurred on Saturday when an armed man forced his way into a campus building during exam period and opened fire with a rifle. Two students were killed: Ella Cook, who served as vice president of Brown's Republican Party association, and Mukhammad Aziz Umurzokov, a student from Uzbekistan who aspired to be a neurosurgeon. Several other students were wounded; Providence Mayor Brett Smiley said one survivor remains in critical but stable condition, five are stable, and two have been discharged from hospital.
Authorities briefly detained a man in connection with the shooting but later released him as the probe continued. The university has faced scrutiny after it emerged that none of Brown's roughly 1,200 security cameras are linked directly to the police surveillance system. In response to public criticism, President Donald Trump posted on social media: “Why did Brown University have so few Security Cameras? There can be no excuse for that.” Brown issued a detailed statement noting that camera coverage does not reach every one of the campus's more than 250 buildings.
Police also urged the public not to circulate artificial intelligence-generated images related to the shooting, warning that such images can hinder the investigation. According to the Gun Violence Archive — which defines a mass shooting as an incident in which four or more people are shot — there have been more than 300 mass shootings in the United States so far this year, underscoring the ongoing national debate and political deadlock over gun policy.
What Authorities Are Asking: Anyone with information about the individual shown in the released images or other leads should contact Providence police immediately.
