Politics
Person Of Interest In Brown University Shooting Released As Manhunt Continues
The person of interest who was arrested early Sunday morning in connection with the previous day’s shooting at Brown University has been released without charges, officials announced at a press conference late Sunday night.
Officials provided very little details on a potential suspect until it was announced that an arrest had been made at a hotel in the town of Coventry, Rhode Island, about 28 miles south of Providence. After receiving a public tip, the FBI’s Investigation’s Cellular Analysis Survey Team used cellphone data to geolocate the person of interest, described as a male in his 20’s, Director Kash Patel announced in a statement.
Police recovered two firearms — including a handgun that matched the description of the weapon used in the attack — upon searching the hotel room. The person of interest was ultimately released, however, after submitting to questioning.
“The person of interest detained in connection with the fatal mass shooting at Brown University is being released without charges,” Providence Mayor Brett Smiley said during a press conference on Sunday night.
Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Neronha explained that new evidence pointed investigators in a different direction. “There had been evidence pointing to this individual, but that evidence now points in a different direction,” he said.
“I’ve been around long enough to know that sometimes you head in one direction and then you have to regroup and go in another and that’s exactly what has happened over the last 24 hours or so.”
A shelter-in-place order had been lifted upon the person of interest’s arrest, Smiley announced earlier in the day. As of this report, no arrests have been made in the case and a manhunt remains ongoing.
Several federal and state law enforcement agencies are assisting with the investigation, including the FBI, Providence Police Department and Rhode Island State Police.
“The status of safety in our community remains unchanged, and we believe that you remain safe in our community.” Providence Police Chief Col. Oscar L. Perez, Jr. said during the press conference.
“We are working with what we have, and, obviously, we have somebody at the police station, that person of interest. And we’re going to continue to build that case in order to be able to charge that person.” Neronha remarked. “We have a murderer out there.”
The gunman, described as a male dressed in black and potentially armed with a rifle, fled the scene on foot. Surveillance footage captured an individual in dark clothing, including a hood, walking north along Hope Street and Waterman Street with a hand in a jacket pocket.
Footage shows the currently unidentified suspect fleeing the scene of the shooting
The manhunt, now in its second full day, involves over 400 law enforcement personnel from the aforementioned agencies.
The victims include Ella Cook, a student and parishioner at the Cathedral Church of the Advent in Birmingham, Alabama, who was identified as the first fatality. Cook, 19, was the vice president of the university’s College Republican Club.
Mukhammad Aziz Umurzokov, a native of Uzbekistan and aspiring neurosurgeon, has been identified as the other victim. Nine additional people were injured in the attack, one of whom remains in critical condition.
Investigators have not yet revealed any information on a potential motive, nor have they provided any information as to whether the victims were targeted for any ideological or political reasons.
