Providence police have intensified their search for clues in the deadly Brown University shooting, releasing a new photograph of a separate individual they believe was near the main person of interest. Authorities made a fresh appeal to the public on Wednesday, December 17, for help in identifying this individual, who was captured wearing dark pants, a blue jacket, and carrying a light tan bag.
Search Intensifies as Suspect Remains at Large
Five days after the violent attack near Brown's engineering building, the primary person of interest connected to the shooting is still at large. Police clarified that the individual in the newly released photo is not currently identified as a suspect but may possess information crucial to the investigation. Investigators have disseminated multiple video clips from before and after Saturday's incident, showing a masked figure walking, running, and moving around campus streets.
Providence Police Chief Col. Oscar Perez emphasized the importance of even the smallest piece of footage, stating, "We're looking for a moment that is shorter than someone taking a breath." He urged residents and local businesses to meticulously review their security camera recordings. Despite receiving approximately 200 tips from the public, the probe has been hampered by limited camera coverage and unclear video quality.
FBI Steps In with Substantial Reward
In a significant move to break the case, the FBI is offering a reward of up to $50,000 for information leading to the identification, arrest, and conviction of the shooter. Authorities have described the person of interest as a male, roughly 5 feet 8 inches tall with a stocky build, who was dressed entirely in black and wore a face covering.
The FBI's Boston office released a detailed six-and-a-half-minute video timeline compiling 15 clips of the individual around the campus. Notably, one clip shows the person walking near police officers who were responding to the shooting. This post was temporarily deleted and later replaced with a shorter version, though no explanation was provided for the change.
Campus Security Protocols Questioned
The shooting has sparked serious concerns and debate over campus safety measures at the prestigious institution. Brown University President Christina Paxson revealed that while the university's emergency alert system successfully notified about 20,000 people, the campus-wide sirens were not activated. This decision was made to avoid inadvertently directing people toward the danger zone. President Paxson acknowledged existing confusion over the guidelines governing siren use.
She also noted that Brown's campus is equipped with around 1,200 cameras, yet none provided a clear image of the shooter inside the engineering building. In response to the community's anxiety, Providence has increased police visibility at city schools to reassure parents, leading some institutions to cancel afterschool activities. Furthermore, enrollment in the city's text alert system saw a sharp rise following the tragic event.
The victims, 19-year-old sophomore Ella Cook from Alabama and 18-year-old freshman MukhammadAziz Umurzokov from Virginia, were remembered at a campus church service attended by nearly 200 people. Rhode Island Hospital has reported that most of the injured students are now in stable condition, offering a glimmer of relief amidst the ongoing tension.
