PROVIDENCE, R.I. – The Providence community and the state of Rhode Island is grappling with shock and grief as a search continues for the perpetrator of Saturday’s mass shooting at Brown University. Two students and nine others were injured in the active shooter attack.
The deceased victims, identified as Ella Cook and Mukhammad Aziz Umurzokov, were both students at Brown University. According to university officials, eight of the injured students remain in critical but stable condition, while one is in critical condition. The assailant remains unidentified and at large, intensifying security concerns across the region.
Providence Schools Implement Heightened Security Measures
In response to the incident, several private schools in the Providence area, including Moses Brown School, The Wheeler School, Gordon School, The French American School of Rhode Island, Lincoln School, and School One, have temporarily closed, reports the Providence Journal. Despite the ongoing manhunt, the Providence School District has kept its schools open, although after-school activities have been canceled.
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Other educational institutions in Rhode Island have also responded to the Brown University shooting with enhanced security measures. East Providence Mayor Bob DaSilva announced an increased police presence at all schools within his jurisdiction. Similarly, the Pawtucket School Department has heightened security across public, private, and charter schools.
Rhode Island Universities Respond to Brown University Shooting with Caution
Colleges and universities in the area have also taken precautionary steps. Roger Williams University (RWU) has increased police patrols at its Bristol campus, and Salve Regina University has coordinated with Newport Police and campus security to boost patrolling efforts, despite many students having left for winter break. Meanwhile, the University of Rhode Island has shifted final exams to a remote format for safety reasons.
