Tragic Classroom Shooting Claims Lives of Brown University Students, Leaves Nine Injured

A gunman opened fire inside a Brown University classroom on Saturday, killing two students and wounding nine others, investigators say.

Victims

MukhammadAziz Umurzokov, an 18‑year‑old freshman from Brandermill, Virginia, was studying for an economics final when the shooting began. He had a double‑major in biochemistry and neuroscience and aspired to attend medical school after a childhood neurological condition and scoliosis required surgery and a back brace. His sister, Samira Umurzokova, told the Associated Press by phone Monday that “He had so many hardships in his life, and he got into this amazing school and tried so hard to follow through with the promise he made when was 7 years old.” She added, “It’s just crazy unfair that all of that was taken from him in a second because of someone.” Samira also recalled how Umurzokov would “use his phone at the dinner table and when his parents told him to put it away, he would say, ‘No, I’m helping my friend with calculus homework.’” She described him as “a thoughtful person” who “always tried to include everyone in everything. and just always thought of other people before he thought of himself.”

Ella Cook, a 19‑year‑old sophomore from a Birmingham, Alabama suburb and vice‑president of the Brown College Republicans, was also killed. Cook was beloved in her church and community. When the Cathedral Church of the Advent announced her death, Rev. R. Craig Smalley described her as “an incredible grounded, faithful, bright light” who “encouraged and lifted up those around her.” He told the congregation, “Light shines in the darkness,” urging members to love and pray for her parents.

Impact on Campus and Community

The Brown College Republicans were “devastated,” said club president Martin Bertao in a post on X, adding that “Ella was known for her bold, brave, and kind heart as she served her chapter and her fellow classmates.” Joe Powers, chairman of the Rhode Island Republican Party, said in a statement that Cook “embodied the very best of the next generation of conservative voices.” The White House acknowledged the tragedy; press secretary Karoline Leavitt wrote on X, “There are no words. Thinking of her family and friends, especially her parents. God please bless them.” Relatives of Cook did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Injuries and Hospitalization

Brown President Christina Paxson said that as of Sunday only one of the nine wounded had been released. One was in critical condition and the other seven were in critical but stable condition. Durham Academy, a private K‑12 school in Durham, North Carolina, confirmed that recent graduate Kendall Turner was critically wounded; her parents were with her. The school released a statement: “Our school community is rallying around Kendall, her classmates, and her loved ones, and we will continue to offer our full support in the days ahead.”

Another wounded student, 18‑year‑old freshman Spencer Yang of New York City, told the New York Times and the Brown Daily Herald from a hospital bed that there was a “mad scramble” after the gunman entered the room where he and the other students were studying for finals. Many students ran toward the front of the room, but Yang said he wound up on the ground between some seats and was shot in the leg. He added that he expected to be discharged in the coming days and that he tried to keep some of the more seriously wounded students conscious until police arrived.

Ongoing Search

Investigators were still searching for the gunman on Monday. No additional details were released about the suspect’s identity or motive.

Key Takeaways

• Two students, MukhammadAziz Umurzokov and Ella Cook, were killed in a classroom shooting at Brown University.
• Nine others were wounded; one released, one critical, seven critical but stable.
• The shooting sparked reactions from the university, local churches, political parties, and the White House.

The tragedy has left the Brown community in mourning and the investigation ongoing, as authorities seek to locate the gunman and understand the motives behind the attack.