The campus shooting incident at Brown University has entered its fifth day, with two students dead and the shooter, who injured nine people, still at large. In a press conference on Wednesday, Police Chief Oscar L. Perez Jr. of Providence released new images of the suspect and asked the public for assistance in identification.
This shooting incident at an Ivy League school in Rhode Island has shocked the entire nation. Law enforcement agencies have pointed out significant security flaws at the scene of the incident – the Barus and Holley building at Brown University lacked a keycard access system present in other campus buildings and had no surveillance cameras in critical areas.
Peter Neronha, the Rhode Island Attorney General, admitted during the press conference that the police “cannot confirm” whether the weapon used by the assailant in the shooting incident was a long gun. It is currently known that a 9mm firearm was used in the attack, a caliber commonly found in violent crimes.
Chief Perez previously revealed that the shooter “fired multiple rounds, in fact it was small caliber, using a 9mm firearm.”
At present, law enforcement agencies have zero information regarding the shooter’s motive. Neronha stated that speculating on what slogans the shooter may have shouted before opening fire is “dangerous, especially in today’s environment,” as different eyewitnesses have conflicting accounts of whether the shooter yelled anything.
Significant mistakes have surfaced in the investigation of this shooting incident. On Sunday morning, FBI Director Kash Patel announced on social media the detention of a “person of interest.” Subsequently, Providence Mayor Brett Smiley informed residents that they could “breathe a sigh of relief.” However, it turned out that law enforcement had apprehended the wrong person.
Sources familiar with the investigation revealed that the detained individual’s cell phone location did not place him at the shooting scene, DNA tests on shell casings found at the scene did not match, ballistics from two handguns found in his hotel room did not align, and residue tests on his hands were inconclusive.
The “person of interest” was released later on Sunday evening, and this error may have caused a delay of a day in the investigation.
During the press conference, the police also released a map showing the streets where the suspect had been on the day of the shooting. Green markings on the map indicated locations the person had been hours before the shooting, red marks showed places immediately after the shooting, and the blue area was where the police are seeking video footage.
Chief Perez also asked the public to help identify an individual who was seen “in the vicinity” of the suspect. He said, “Based on the hours of video surveillance we’ve reviewed in the past few days, they could have information relevant to the investigation.”
Former Boston Police Commissioner Dan Linskey believes that the suspect’s “distinctive” attire and gait might be sufficient for acquaintances to identify him. He stated that this investigation is similar to the case of searching for Luigi Mangione, requiring the collection of thousands of hours of video footage.
The two students who tragically lost their lives in the Brown University shooting have been identified as Mukhammad Aziz Umurzokov and Ella Cook.
As of Wednesday, another victim has been discharged from the hospital, with six still hospitalized, one in critical but stable condition and five in stable condition.
Mayor Smiley expressed on Wednesday: “The parents I talked to today said their children are getting better.”
Brown University held an online interfaith prayer ceremony on Wednesday to pray for the families of the victims and the community. Classes and exams have been canceled, and a solemn candlelight vigil was held on campus.