RI - Mass Shooting at Brown University - Providence 13 Dec 2025

[99cats]

Report: Ella Cook almost switched seats just before she was killed in classroom shooting at Brown University

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WIAT) — A teaching assistant who survived a mass shooting in a classroom at Brown University over the weekend is giving more details about what happened, especially when it came to victim and Alabama native Ella Cook.

On Monday, The Wall Street Journal published a report that included comments from Joseph Oduro, a teaching assistant who gave a firsthand account of what he saw leading up to the deaths of Cook and fellow student Mukhammad Aziz Umurzokov. Oduro said he was very familiar with Cook, a Mountain Brook native who had taken his economics class that fall. Moments before the shooting, Cook and other students had gathered in the classroom to review material before their final exam.

In the piece, Oduro said he noticed Cook, who was sitting five rows up on the left side of the lecture hall, about to get up and change seats across the classroom to be near a fellow classmate. Ultimately, Cook stayed where she was.

“You could kind of see them making eye contact,” Oduro said in report. “She was about to get up, to move and sit next to her friend, but she felt a little bit embarrassed, you could just tell from her face.”

At the end of the class, a masked person came into the classroom and opened fire. By his own recollection, the shooter fired 40 rounds in the classroom.

“Oduro was face down as the hail of bullets smashed into the room, but said he believes that Cook and Umurzokov were struck first because the two were sitting on the left and were already walking up the aisle when the gunman entered,” the WSJ reported.

With Cook and Umurzokov dead, nine other students were injured in the shooting. As of Wednesday, police have not identified any suspects or made any arrests in the case.

In the piece, WSJ reporters Douglas Belkin, Neil Mehta and Jared Mitovich dove deeper into Cook’s life, outlining how she was involved in the school’s Catholic community, where she would often attend the Brown-RISD Catholic Community center. Among other things, the WSJ reported on how Cook enjoyed Alabama football, had planned to study in Paris next year and had attended the March for Life march in Washington earlier this year.

A memorial is planned for Cook Dec. 22 at the Cathedral Church of the Advent in Birmingham, her family’s home church.

This article gives a little more detail of where individuals in the classroom were located. It sounds like Cook and Umurzokov were in the process of exiting the room when the shooting occurred.

 

[GDawg89]

I know @justtrish did some work on this already, but here's the location where the photo of the second person was captured (I made this graphic, for citation purposes). It was within the historical association fenceline off Cooke. A lot transpired around this area, which makes the second person even more interesting now that I've seen it laid out on the map. No idea when the photo was taken, though. I'm going to see if I can spot where the clearer photo was taken at some point tonight.

View attachment 631369

Great post, why did LE not give or have a time stamp for Person #2 Photo Request Help to Identify? Critical piece IMO...

 

[wibbleflea]

I don't think he is actually overweight. The belly looks like one of those pregnancy bellies for actors.

There’s definitely something odd-looking about the abdominal fat, true. Doesn’t fit well with the running style and posture, for one thing. But the legs seem thick (could also be modified) and the waistband of the pants is clearly large. Shoulders and upper torso also seem large. So perhaps it’s someone who’s somewhat bulky already with a little extra added.

 

[wibbleflea]

So this person on reddit is claiming to have seen a grey Nissan parked in front of the little shack at the RIHS, but on CCTV I can't see anything matching that? Am I missing something? Is he saying it was parked directly in front of the little shack or on the road between the shack and the end of the road?

He posted again (you can find his posts by clicking on his username) to say the camera angle that would have shown the car was blocked by the shack. And that he spoke to LE. Hoping he’s not the only one. If he’s right, it’s a great tip.

 

[seenabp]

Am I the only person that keeps bouncing back and forth between random and targeted? Currently, I'm at targeted. The odd behavior and appearance of the 2 POI's keeps leading me there. I keep wondering honor killing? Vendetta? Something on that order. It seems like it was set up to look random, but there was a specific target in mind. Tomorrow I will be back to random, lol.

All moo.

I’m leaning toward targeting the university. Saturday feels like a weird day to do it but I think there’s something about catching students off guard when they’re studying and getting ready for finals and break.

The thought crossed my mind that he could’ve initially been thinking about the nearby Sciences Library which is always incredibly crowded during finals, but maybe shifted to the other location.

These are just thoughts noodling around in my mind. Nothing to really back them up with.

 

[Justice101]

Am I the only person that keeps bouncing back and forth between random and targeted? Currently, I'm at targeted. The odd behavior and appearance of the 2 POI's keeps leading me there. I keep wondering honor killing? Vendetta? Something on that order. It seems like it was set up to look random, but there was a specific target in mind. Tomorrow I will be back to random, lol.

All moo.

I don't think that would be in a mass shooting. That leaves way too much to chance: they went to the restroom, they are in the back of the room, you shot a bunch of bullets but you missed them.

 

[Inthedetails]

I’m leaning toward targeting the university. Saturday feels like a weird day to do it but I think there’s something about catching students off guard when they’re studying and getting ready for finals and break.

The thought crossed my mind that he could’ve initially been thinking about the nearby Sciences Library which is always incredibly crowded during finals, but maybe shifted to the other location.

These are just thoughts noodling around in my mind. Nothing to really back them up with.

Your post gave me an idea - what if the perp chose Saturday based on HIS schedule? Maybe he's not available on weekdays to commit murder.

jmopinion.

 

[99cats]

I’m leaning toward targeting the university. Saturday feels like a weird day to do it but I think there’s something about catching students off guard when they’re studying and getting ready for finals and break.

The thought crossed my mind that he could’ve initially been thinking about the nearby Sciences Library which is always incredibly crowded during finals, but maybe shifted to the other location.

These are just thoughts noodling around in my mind. Nothing to really back them up with.

One thought - could security at the university be lighter during the weekends? Or did he suspect that Providence police would be busy? I believe there was a fairly big concert occuring that night at Amica.

I do want to point out there were finals scheduled that day and during that time block, and that schedule was publicly available online. There was one scheduled from 2-4 in room 160 (the shooting took place in room 166).

 

[steeltowngirl]

I asked Google Gemini to identify the jacket.
This was the result.

This jacket appears to be from the brand Empyre, which is a popular skate and street-wear brand sold primarily through retailers like Zumiez.

Identification Details​

• The Logo: On the bottom-left pocket (the wearer's left), there is a distinct square, yellow-bordered woven tag. This is a signature placement and style for Empyre's "Workwear" or "Chore" line of jackets.
• The Design: This is a two-tone hooded work jacket (often referred to as a "mixed-media" or "color-block" jacket). It features a dark navy or black upper section (yoke and sleeves) with an olive green canvas body.
• The Specific Model: It most closely resembles the Empyre "Dixon" or "Hale" utility jackets, which frequently use this specific color blocking and square logo placement.

---

Verification Tip​

If you are looking to purchase or verify this exact item, you can search for "Empyre two-tone olive and navy work jacket" on resale sites like Poshmark, Depop, or eBay. These styles were very common in Zumiez stores between 2021 and 2024.

 

[Mimi in London]

Also noticed the very small eyes. I haven’t known what to think about it. I’m hoping we’ll know more soon, and that the Redditor’s tip wasn’t the only one. Feeling more hopeful today!

A whole-face/head mask would make sense of why he seems to look up or angle his head upwards. Trying to see out of those tiny peepholes.

 

[LAborn]

What we can see of this individual's eyes has bothered me right from the first pic. IMO, they seem very tiny and too small and narrow set in relation to the size of his face and general body structure. I wondered if he was possibly wearing a face mask in addition to the usual black Covid type mask .

In this photo on the left if you zoom in or enlarge it:

View attachment 631439

image from https://www.cnn.com/us/live-news/br...nt-12-15-25?post-id=cmj7skzzj0000356p43s8iti5

you can see the bottom and top black elastics that come horizontally off the black medical mask at chin level and ear level, but there appears to be some other kind of straps between the top of the black medi mask and the toque.

I also noticed what seems to be a discoloured (?) thickness around the neck area below the black medi mask and at one point thought he might be wearing some type of cowl neck scarf or turtleneck. Am now wondering if they are sporting on of those uber realistic face masks with the other masks overlaid.

Cropped and enlarged from the above left image:

View attachment 631443

If this has been discussed before, my apologies as we don't get to read every single thing.

Wearing a full fake mask or "fat suit" would be heavy and hot. From what I understand from LE these pre-shooting photos started at 10:30am--shooting around 4:20pm. That's a very long time to be sporting that stuff that doesn't breath--he'd be sweating like a pig and huffing, puffing. He's moving around with relative ease. I've seen people with close set eyes, with facial features that don't fit their body type--where their head looks like it belongs on a thin person, and their body overweight. JMO

 

[Lebowski]

I asked Google Gemini to identify the jacket.
This was the result.

This jacket appears to be from the brand Empyre, which is a popular skate and street-wear brand sold primarily through retailers like Zumiez.

Identification Details​

• The Logo: On the bottom-left pocket (the wearer's left), there is a distinct square, yellow-bordered woven tag. This is a signature placement and style for Empyre's "Workwear" or "Chore" line of jackets.
• The Design: This is a two-tone hooded work jacket (often referred to as a "mixed-media" or "color-block" jacket). It features a dark navy or black upper section (yoke and sleeves) with an olive green canvas body.
• The Specific Model: It most closely resembles the Empyre "Dixon" or "Hale" utility jackets, which frequently use this specific color blocking and square logo placement.

---

Verification Tip​

If you are looking to purchase or verify this exact item, you can search for "Empyre two-tone olive and navy work jacket" on resale sites like Poshmark, Depop, or eBay. These styles were very common in Zumiez stores between 2021 and 2024.

in one of the renderings of this front photo, i think i saw a triangular doohickey on his chest. possibly a big zipper handle? but i wasn't sure it wasn't just some pixellation illusion.

 

[Lebowski]

I resized the second photo.

Note the pink circle around his right hand; he is not wearing a glove.

Secondly, the front of his jacket is blue and has green across the front.

Off to check jackets!

ETA: adding the FBI link

View attachment 630856

here it is. you can see a triangular object or three small objects clustered together on his chest. also, some kind of v-neck looking pattern.

might help rule in or rule out specific products.

 

[arielilane]

Providence Police released this enhanced photo -- and say they are asking for help identifying and speaking to the individual shown in this photo who was in proximity of the person of interest in the Brown shooting.

https://twitter.com/x/status/2001391937278906820

Providence Police have released photos of a different person they want to talk to related to the Brown University shooting.They say "the individual shown in these photos was in proximity of the person of interest."

https://twitter.com/x/status/2001357025792659602

 

[Lebowski]

I would say that targeting specific people is less likely.

The review class was optional, so it would be difficult to know if a specific student target was going to be there. Likewise, it was being taught by a teaching assistant and not a professor.

This would reduce the possibility of a specific professor being the target. My guess is that full professors at elite universities are not given to presenting two hours long, formal review sessions. That is what graduate students are for- right? If so, a perpetrator familiar with universities would know that a specific professor giving the review would be unlikely.

Though the target could have been specific teaching assistant, assignments like teaching a certain review class could rotate between several teaching assistants. The name of the instructor may not of been posted. Rather, the schedule could have just stated something like: Review for final Economics 200 / Hobbes' Leviathan. Instructor: To be assigned.

i agree completely. the TA is the only person who a random outsider could have known would be in that room. and it doesn't seem like the TA was specifically targetted, because he wouldn't have been hard to find (standing at the front of the room, scribbling on the board) and he's still alive.

...all assuming the attack was well-planned. if it wasn't well-planned, and you get there and see your target isn't there, why start shooting at all? now you're a fugitive, and may not get another chance to kill your target(s). and what's your beef with any non-target people you decided to shoot?

i suppose it is also possible that the actual victims were indeed targets. but there's been no indication of that. anyway, if that is the case, LE is presumably all over the possibility and will identify aggrieved individuals before long.

--------------

but to add to the case against targetted killing, this seems like an odd way to go about it. if it is 1 or 2 people, surely there are better places and times to ambush them. to do it in a classroom full of witnesses and people who might get in your way, or even try to grab you or your gun?

 

[justtrish]

I'm going back to the beginning and reading through articles and noticed these figures. 475 total students registered for the fall Intro to Economics classes. This was one of 5 review sessions for this exam. I think I saw somewhere that roughly 60 students were at this review. Also, posted that the male victim was not enrolled in the class at all. So, I think it's safe to assume that these study sessions were open to all and not specific classes or class times.

A Brown University Instructor Hid From Gunfire With His Students

Joseph Oduro, 21, said he was leading an economics study session for about 60 students when a masked man entered the room and started shooting.

www.nytimes.com

Principles of Economics is an introductory class and prerequisite for a handful of the intermediate economics courses at the university. The teaching assistant said that the class has approximately 475 registered students. More than 80 percent of those students are freshmen.

Saturday’s review session was one of five in total offered before the final exam on Tuesday.

I was trying to figure out where the class is usually held and I found this.

ECON 0110 at Brown - 9 Reviews & Ratings, Spring 2026 professors

Read 9 reviews & ratings for Principles of Economics (ECON 0110) and find out who's teaching it in Spring 2026 at Brown (Brown University). Track assignments and plan your schedule with Coursicle.

www.coursicle.com

So, this class is only a 1 credit class, and it lists Fall/Spring class times, and it's offered in Monday's and Tuesdays and it's a 50-minute class once per week. Looks like 12-1250 and then some evening classes like 6-650 and 7-750, but also available to remote students.

Then, I found this which shows where the classes are usually held and get this one class is held at Barus and Holley, but in a different classroom.


18348 ECON 0110 09/03/25-12/20/25 Tu. 12:00-12:50 Smith-Buonanno Hall G01
18351 ECON 0110 09 09/03/25-12/20/25 M. 6:00-6:50 Barus & Holley 159
18357 ECON 0110 09/03/25-12/20/25 Tu. 7:00-7:50 Smith-Buonanno Hall 206

Also, the professor's office is located in a different building located at 64 Waterman Street.

Rachel Friedberg

Contact

sites.google.com

 

[GDawg89]

One of the latest bits of info released was the map of before and after movements. They have an after movement on Ives street (no video has been shared for that) So he does turn off Waterman possibly onto Ives which is heading back toward where he was earlier. Here is the link to the map they shared!

Providence Police Department

Providence Police are releasing a map showing the streets where the person of interest in the Brown University shooting is confirmed to have been present on the day of the incident. Streets marked...

www.facebook.com

Curious, the after route "red line" on Waterman, has LE released any video of POI from ring or other source? I don't think so but just checking as there has been multiple releases. It appears that this street is more downhill on Waterman in the direction "after" 4:03PM than some of the other streets in released video..may be wrong but it appears that way on Google Earth. jmo

 

[justtrish]

Curious, the after route "red line" on Waterman, has LE released any video of POI from ring or other source? I don't think so but just checking as there has been multiple releases. It appears that this street is more downhill on Waterman in the direction "after" 4:03PM than some of the other streets in released video..may be wrong but it appears that way on Google Earth. jmo

Yes, this initial video released is from Waterman just after the shooting.

https://twitter.com/x/status/2000649669966201052

AND forgot about this one. This is the corner of Hope Street and Waterman right after he left the building he took Hope street and then turned right. This video is before the previous one in this post.

https://twitter.com/x/status/2000054325825961988

 

[LooksSusToMe]

“Oduro said the gunman was dressed in dark clothing from head to toe and appeared to be wearing something that was bulging from his chest, saying it could have been ammunition or a bulletproof vest. He said the gunman was completely covered except for his eyes and part of a hand.”

'We made eye contact': Brown University student describes alleged gunman bursting into lecture hall

This student made eye contact with the shooter. I feel like he would have said he was wearing a mask. It does seem like there was something under his jacket.

 

[justtrish]

So, one more thought RE: the escape route. I recall noticing earlier that Waterman is a one-way street that goes AWAY from the location of the shooting. So, the shooter heads up Hope Street and turns right on Waterman and that street is one way going in the direction away from the shooting. LE and others arriving would NOT be driving on Waterman where the man was walking because it's impossible to take a one way going the opposite direction. Maybe the shooter chose to walk that way for this exact reason. NO first responders would be flying past him or noticing him walking away if they aren't driving down that street to get to the scene. The only place he would encounter officers arriving would be right outside the building on Hope Street, but once he got to Waterman, he could walk pretty much without fear of any LE arriving via that road.