FBI Offers $50,000 Reward as Search Intensifies for Masked Brown University Shooter

The FBI described the suspect as approximately 5 feet, 8 inches tall with a stocky build.

Authorities conducted a thorough door-to-door investigation on Monday, examining yards and seeking video evidence that might help identify the Brown University shooter. The suspect's face remained concealed or not visible in footage captured before and after the weekend attack that resulted in two student fatalities and nine injuries.

Officials released three new video clips showing the suspect wearing a mask and a distinctive dark two-tone jacket. Though facial features weren't visible, the footage captured approximately two hours before the shooting provides the clearest images of the suspect thus far.

The FBI announced a substantial $50,000 reward for information leading to the identification, arrest, and conviction of the responsible individual.

"We're requesting public assistance," stated Providence Police Chief, Col. Oscar Perez, during a news conference, encouraging anyone who might recognize the suspect to contact the tip line.

Law enforcement renewed their investigation after releasing a person of interest on Sunday when evidence pointed in another direction. Meanwhile, information about the shooting victims began to emerge.

The lockdown at the Ivy League institution was lifted Sunday after authorities initially detained a person of interest. However, hopes for quick resolution diminished when officials announced his release hours later.

This investigative setback raised questions regarding campus security, the apparent lack of school surveillance footage, and whether the focus on the incorrect person of interest provided the actual attacker additional time to escape.

Colin Moussette, who has connections to Brown and is considering enrollment next fall, expressed concern while visiting campus Monday about the suspect remaining at large.

"How someone escaped in broad daylight is not only heartbreaking but deeply concerning," he remarked. "How they accessed the building is troubling."

Before Monday's press conference, police released a second video showing an individual dressed in black walking along a city street minutes after the shooting. Like previously released footage, this video failed to reveal the suspect's face.

In a neighborhood near the university, officers methodically searched snow-covered yards for evidence. Concurrently, agents identifying themselves as U.S. marshals inquired with local residents about security cameras.

Attorney General Peter Neronha, who noted Sunday the limited camera coverage where the attack occurred, stated Monday that investigators were "making steady progress."

Law enforcement appeared to still be conducting fundamental investigative tasks on Monday, including tracing the suspect's post-attack movements and searching for evidence near the crime scene.

"I was relieved to see action being taken," said Katherine Baima, a local resident. "This is the first communication anyone in my building has received. We hadn't gotten alerts and were surprised by the lack of searching or door-knocking on the first night."

The shooting occurred in an auditorium-style classroom where students in a study group were preparing for an upcoming examination.

Ella Cook, a 19-year-old sophomore who served as vice president of the Brown College Republicans and was cherished in her Birmingham, Alabama church community, was among the fatalities, according to her pastor.

In announcing her death Sunday, Reverend R. Craig Smalley described Cook as "an incredible grounded, faithful, bright light" who encouraged and "lifted up those around her."

"Ella was known for her bold, brave, and kind heart as she served her chapter and fellow classmates," Martin Bertao, the club president, stated in a message posted on X.

The second fatality was MukhammadAziz Umurzokov, an 18-year-old freshman studying biochemistry and neuroscience. He was assisting a friend at an economics final review session when shot, according to his sister.

As a child, Umurzokov overcame a neurological condition requiring surgery and later wore a back brace for scoliosis, noted Samira Umurzokova, adding that their family immigrated to the U.S. from Uzbekistan when the siblings were young.

"He faced numerous hardships throughout his life, and he gained admission to this prestigious institution and worked diligently to fulfill a promise he made at age 7," she told the AP by phone Monday.

Of the nine wounded individuals, only one had been discharged as of Sunday, according to Brown President Christina Paxson. One remained in critical condition while seven were in critical but stable condition. Mayor Brett Smiley reported Monday evening that none of their conditions had deteriorated, though he provided no additional information.

Durham Academy, a private K-12 school in Durham, North Carolina, confirmed that recent graduate Kendall Turner was critically wounded and her parents were at her side. "Our school community is rallying around Kendall, her classmates, and her loved ones," the school stated.

Another wounded student, 18-year-old freshman Spencer Yang from New York City, described to the New York Times and Brown Daily Herald from his hospital bed the chaotic scene after the gunman entered the room where students were studying for finals. Many students rushed toward the front of the room, but Yang found himself on the floor between seats when he was shot in the leg.

Yang, expecting discharge in coming days, said he attempted to keep more severely wounded students conscious until police arrived.

While Brown was no longer under lockdown and the city's schools reopened Monday, numerous colleges and universities in Rhode Island and across the Ivy League increased security measures following the attack. Yale announced enhanced security for Hanukkah celebrations.

The shooting occurred during final exams at Brown, one of America's oldest and most prestigious academic institutions.

Investigators were initially uncertain how the shooter gained access to the first-floor classroom.

The attack triggered hours of chaos on campus and surrounding neighborhoods as hundreds of officers searched for the shooter.

Li Ding, a Rhode Island School of Design student who participates in a Brown dance team, expressed frustration about inadequate campus security.

"The fact that we exist in such a surveillance state yet that wasn't properly utilized is profoundly frustrating," Ding commented.