Crime
Victims killed in Brown University shooting ID’d as Mukhammad Aziz Umurzokov and Ella Cook
Providence, R.I. — Mukhammad Aziz Umurzokov has been identified as the second victim killed in the deadly shooting at Brown University on December 13, an incident that has deeply shaken the campus and communities across the country.
Family members and loved ones described Umurzokov as exceptionally kind, intelligent, and compassionate, with a natural warmth that left a lasting impression on everyone he met.
He was known for his sense of humor, humility, and unwavering willingness to help others without hesitation. Those closest to him said he consistently put the needs of others before his own and served as a role model within his family and community.
Umurzokov was a highly motivated student with ambitious dreams of becoming a neurosurgeon, hoping one day to dedicate his life to helping and healing others.
His curiosity, discipline, and generosity reflected both his personal character and the values instilled in him by his family and upbringing.
“More than a gifted student, Aziz was a beloved son, brother, and friend,” his family shared. “He had a future filled with promise, and his life was taken far too soon.” His death has left what they described as an immeasurable void in the lives of his family, friends, classmates, and the broader Uzbek American community.
In a statement, the American Uzbekistan Association extended its deepest condolences to Umurzokov’s family, expressing solidarity during this period of profound grief and gratitude for the outpouring of prayers and support from the public.
Family members have said that donations made in his memory will help cover immediate expenses, with remaining funds to be donated to charity in his name.
Mukhammad Aziz Umurzokov will be remembered for his kindness, integrity, and potential, and for the light he brought into the lives of those around him.
Authorities have also confirmed the identity of the other victim as Ella Cook, a sophomore from Alabama. Cook was a parishioner at Cathedral Church of the Advent in downtown Birmingham, where she was remembered as an “incredible, grounded, faithful bright light” who consistently uplifted others.
During Sunday services, Rev. Craig Smalley spoke about Cook’s impact, noting her dedication to service and her ability to encourage and inspire those around her both at her church and at Brown University.
“Those who knew her knew she was an incredible light,” Smalley said. He urged the congregation to keep Cook’s family and loved ones in their prayers.
The shooting occurred shortly before 4 p.m. Saturday inside an engineering building while final exams were underway, one of the busiest periods of the academic year.
In addition to the two fatalities, nine people were wounded.
University officials said one victim has been released from the hospital, seven remain hospitalized in critical but stable condition, and one remains in critical condition.
Providence Police Chief Col. Oscar Perez said Sunday that no charges have been filed, and the investigation remains ongoing.
A previously detained person of interest, Benjamin Warren Erickson, was taken into custody at a hotel in Coventry, Rhode Island, but was later released after investigators determined he was not involved in the shooting.
Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Neronha acknowledged that early evidence appeared to point in that direction but later proved otherwise.
He also criticized the premature public release of the individual’s name, noting the lasting harm such disclosures can cause.
Authorities emphasized that the gunman remains at large, and law enforcement agencies at the local, state, and federal levels continue to actively pursue leads as the investigation continues.
Crime
MIT Professor Nuno Loureiro Shooting Suspect Identified as 48-Year-Old Claudio Manuel Neves-Valente
Authorities have identified the suspect connected to both the Brown University mass shooting in Rhode Island and the fatal shooting of MIT professor Dr. Nuno F. G. Loureiro in Massachusetts as Claudio Manuel Neves-Valente, a 48-year-old Portuguese national, according to law enforcement sources.
Investigators say Neves-Valente was found deceased from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound inside an Extra Space Storage facility in Salem, New Hampshire, effectively ending a multistate manhunt.
Law enforcement officials confirmed that Neves-Valente was not a U.S. citizen, but a lawful permanent resident of the United States.
His last known address was in Miami, Florida. Police have stated that he took his own life, and the manner of death is being investigated in coordination with the medical examiner.
Sources familiar with the investigation say Neves-Valente had a storage unit registered in his name at the Salem facility, the same location where an abandoned vehicle linked to the case was previously discovered.
Surveillance video reportedly shows him entering the storage complex; however, investigators initially could not confirm whether he exited prior to being found deceased. Authorities have said agents had not entered the unit earlier in the operation as the scene remained part of an active investigation.
Investigators also revealed that the suspect used multiple sets of license plates on the same vehicle, a tactic authorities believe was intended to evade detection.
A witness-provided license plate in the Brown University shooting led investigators to trace the vehicle’s ownership and usage history, which ultimately connected it to the Brookline, Massachusetts homicide of Dr. Loureiro.
The vehicle was later located in Salem after a license plate reader flagged one of the associated plates, prompting a significant law enforcement response involving federal, state, and local agencies near the Salem, New Hampshire–Methuen, Massachusetts border.
During the search, Methuen police issued public alerts asking residents to report individuals who appeared out of place or were behaving suspiciously, while emphasizing that there was no ongoing threat to the general public.
Officials noted that the suspect appeared to have employed deliberate countermeasures, including changing plates across jurisdictions and attempting to avoid surveillance cameras and facial recognition systems.
Law enforcement sources further stated that Neves-Valente was originally from Portugal, the same country as Dr. Loureiro. Investigators are examining whether there is any significance to that shared background.
It is believed, though not yet publicly confirmed by authorities, that both men may have attended the same school in Lisbon earlier in their lives.
Additionally, Brown University officials have confirmed that Neves-Valente was previously a Brown student, attending the university from 2000 to 2001.
Records indicate he was enrolled exclusively in physics courses during that time.
The university believes he may have had classes in the same building where the shooting later occurred, though officials have stressed that this information is part of a broader factual review and not indicative of motive.
The Brown University shooting occurred shortly after 4 p.m. on Saturday, when a masked gunman dressed in black entered a lecture hall in the Barus and Holley Science Building and opened fire on students attending a final exam review session.
Two students were killed—MukhammadAziz Umurzokov, 18, of Virginia, and Ella Cook, 19, a sophomore from Alabama. Nine others were wounded, with six remaining hospitalized in stable condition at the time of the last update.
The attack triggered a massive response involving approximately 400 law enforcement officers, who conducted extensive searches of campus buildings and surrounding neighborhoods.
Although a 24-year-old man was briefly detained as a person of interest, forensic testing later cleared him, and he was released.
Separately, authorities in Brookline, Massachusetts, responded Monday night to the home of Dr. Loureiro, an MIT professor, who had been shot and later died from his injuries early Tuesday morning.
While officials initially stated there appeared to be no connection between the two cases, subsequent investigation revealed that both incidents were linked to the same suspect and vehicle.
The FBI, along with state and local agencies, continues to review evidence, digital records, and the suspect’s movements in the days leading up to both attacks.
Officials have emphasized that while the suspect is deceased, the investigation remains active as authorities work to establish motive, timeline, and any additional relevant connections.