The investigation into the mass shooting at Brown University, which resulted in two fatalities and nine injuries, has led to the issuance of an arrest warrant for a suspect. Sources close to the investigation informed CBS News about the warrant.
The shooting occurred on December 16, 2025, at Brown University's Barus & Holley engineering building during final examinations. The two students killed were identified as Ella Cook, a sophomore from Alabama, and Mukhammad Aziz Umurzokov, a freshman student of Uzbek-American heritage.
Authorities are currently in the sixth day of their search for the individual, engaging in door-to-door inquiries, requesting home-security video footage, and appealing for public tips. Investigators are also searching for the suspect and a car believed to have been rented by them.
A previously scheduled news conference by Providence, Rhode Island police for Thursday afternoon was cancelled, with an update expected later the same day.
Authorities are investigating a potential connection between the Brown University shooting and the killing of Nuno M Gomes Loureiro, a 47-year-old nuclear science and engineering professor from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Professor Loureiro was fatally shot multiple times on Monday at his home in Brookline, Massachusetts, approximately 50 miles (80km) from Providence.
Sources told CBS that police have obtained an arrest warrant, and a rental car matching the description of one seen at both crime scenes is under investigation. Federal authorities had previously stated there was no link between the two incidents.
On Wednesday, authorities released a photo of an individual described as being in close proximity to their primary person of interest. Providence Police Chief Oscar Perez indicated the police wished to speak with this person, stating they "may have information relevant to the investigation." Chief Perez also commented that the perpetrator "could be anywhere" and that their identity and location were unknown.
Footage released a day prior showed a person of interest on the university campus wearing a black mask, which Chief Perez suggested might indicate "casing" the area before the crime.
Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Neronha stated his belief that the perpetrator would be apprehended, emphasizing that it was "just a matter of time."
The FBI has offered a $50,000 (
£37,350) reward for information leading to the identification, arrest, and conviction of the person responsible for the Brown University attack.