Providence police released a new photo Wednesday (Dec. 17) of a separate individual believed to be “in the vicinity of a person of interest” in the Brown University shooting. Authorities asked the public for help identifying the person, who was wearing dark pants, a blue jacket and a light brown bag.
The suspect remains at large
Police said the person is not currently identified as a suspect, but may have information relevant to the case. A person of interest connected to the shooting remains at large five days after the attack near Brown’s engineering building.
Authorities are urging the public to share the video
Investigators have released several videos from before and after Saturday’s shooting that show a masked person of interest walking, running and moving around campus streets. Authorities urged residents and businesses to review CCTV footage, saying even short clips could be key.
“We’re looking for a moment that’s shorter than someone taking a breath,” said Providence Police Chief Col. Oscar Perez.
About 200 tips received so far
Police have received roughly 200 tips, though investigators say limited camera coverage and unclear video have slowed the process. Brown University President Christina Paxson said the campus has about 1,200 cameras, but none captured a clear image of the shooter inside the engineering building.
The FBI is offering a $50,000 reward
The FBI is offering a reward of up to $50,000 for information leading to the identification, arrest and conviction of the shooter. Authorities described the person of interest as a man, about 5 feet 8 inches tall, with a stocky build, dressed in black and with his face covered.
The FBI video timeline was briefly deleted
The Boston FBI released a timeline of the six-and-a-half-minute video showing a person of interest in 15 clips around campus, including footage of the individual walking near responding officers after the shooting. The post was briefly deleted and later replaced with a shorter version, without explanation.
Campus security under scrutiny
The shooting has raised questions about campus security protocols. Paxson said Brown’s emergency alert system reached about 20,000 people, but campus sirens were not activated to keep people out of harm’s way. She admitted to confusion over the instructions for using the sirens.
The city remains on edge
Providence increased the police presence in the city’s schools to reassure parents, while some schools canceled after-school activities. After the shooting, the number of entries to the city’s text alert system increased.
The victims remembered
About 200 people gathered at a campus service to honor the victims of Ella Cook, a 19-year-old sophomore from Alabama, and MukhammadAziz Umurzokov, an 18-year-old freshman from Virginia. Rhode Island Hospital reported that most of the injured students are now in stable condition.
