Authorities knocked on doors in search of video and sifted through snow and dumpsters for other evidence that might lead them to the Brown University gunman, whose face was covered or not visible in footage captured before and after the weekend attack that killed two students and wounded nine others.
Officials on Monday released three new videos of the man they believe carried out Saturday’s attack that show him wearing a mask and a dark two-tone jacket. Although his face wasn’t visible, the footage from about two hours before the shooting provided the clearest images yet of the suspect.
The FBI said the man is about 5 feet, 8 inches tall, with a stocky build. The agency offered a $50,000 reward for information leading to the identification, arrest and conviction of the person responsible.
“We’re asking for the public’s assistance,” Providence’s police chief, Col. Oscar Perez, said at a news conference, urging people who might recognize the suspect to call a tip line.
The footage released so far contains some useful clues for investigators, according to WBZ-TV security analyst and former Boston Police Commissioner Ed Davis.
“It very clearly shows the clothing that he’s wearing,” Davis said. “That clothing can be tracked down to retailers. You can get lists of people who purchased that clothing. You can get a height and an approximate weight from that video by comparing the suspect to different things in the landscape that he walked by.”
“There’s a lot there that has to be run down, but it takes time,” he added.
Police renewed their search after releasing a person of interest Sunday once they determined the evidence pointed elsewhere.
The lockdown order for the Ivy League school was lifted Sunday after authorities said they had detained the person of interest. But hopes for a quick resolution were dashed when they announced hours later that they had released him.
The abrupt change of direction marked a setback in the investigation as questions swirl about campus security, the apparent lack of school video evidence and whether the focus on the initial person of interest gave the attacker more time to escape.
“It does get harder as the trail grows colder, that certainly is a concern, and there’s an extreme urgency to solving this case,” Davis said.
New video emerges
Before Monday’s news conference, police released a second video showing someone dressed in black walking along a city street minutes after the shooting. The video— like one released the day of the shooting — didn’t provide a clear view of the suspect’s face.
Davis said he expects more video may emerge as police continue to canvas the area around campus.
“It sometimes takes a few days to get that done, so that could still be in progress right now. There may be more video forthcoming,” he said.
In a neighborhood near the university, a line of officers scraped their feet through a snow-covered yard looking for evidence. Meanwhile, agents identifying themselves as U.S. marshals asked locals if they had security cameras.
Police could also be seen searching dumpsters in the area for any potential evidence.
Suzanne Kreiter/The Boston Globe via Getty Images 
The shooting occurred as final exams were underway at Brown, one of the nation’s oldest and most prestigious schools. Investigators were not immediately sure how the shooter got inside the first-floor classroom and the attack set off hours of chaos.
Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Neronha, who said Sunday that there weren’t many cameras where the attack happened, said Monday that investigators were “making steady progress.”
In a social media post Monday night, FBI Director Kash Patel said the bureau had sent additional resources to the area “to help track down leads, canvass neighborhoods, and develop intelligence.”
“Anything Rhode Island authorities need from this FBI, we will be there,” Patel wrote.
Gov. Dan McKee requested additional local police at schools to provide reassurance for students, families and educators.
One victim was active in church, one overcame health issues
The shooting happened in an auditorium-style classroom where students in a study group were preparing for an upcoming exam.
Ella Cook, a 19-year-old sophomore who was vice president of the Brown College Republicans and beloved in her church in Birmingham, Alabama, was one of the students killed, according to her pastor at home.
In announcing her death Sunday, the Rev. R. Craig Smalley described Cook as “an incredible grounded, faithful, bright light” who encouraged and “lifted up those around her.”
“Ella was known for her bold, brave, and kind heart as she served her chapter and her fellow classmates,” Martin Bertao, the president of the College Republicans club, said in a message posted on X.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a post on X, “There are no words. Thinking of her family and friends, especially her parents. God please bless them.”
The other student who was killed was Mukhammad Aziz Umurzokov, an 18-year-old freshman majoring in biochemistry and neuroscience. He was helping a friend at a review session for an economics final when he was shot, his sister said.
Bing Guan /AFP via Getty Images 
As a child, Umurzokov suffered a neurological condition that required surgery, and he later wore a back brace because of scoliosis, said Samira Umurzokova, noting that the family immigrated to the U.S. from Uzbekistan when she, her brother and sister were young. He knew from an early age he wanted to be a neurosurgeon to help others like himself.
“He had so many hardships in his life, and he got into this amazing school and tried so hard to follow through with the promise he made when was 7 years old,” she told the AP by phone Monday.
His roommate said he was extremely smart and described his friend as a “ball of joy.”
“He was kind. He reached out to me as soon as we got roommate assignments,” freshman Khimari Manns told CBS News Boston. “Most importantly, he was just present. Whatever you asked him to do, he was always there for you,” he said.
Only one of the nine people wounded had been released as of Sunday, Brown President Christina Paxson said. One was in critical condition and the other seven were in critical but stable condition. Mayor Brett Smiley said Monday evening that none of their conditions had worsened, but that he didn’t have further information.
Durham Academy, a private K-12 school in Durham, North Carolina, confirmed that a recent graduate, Kendall Turner, was critically wounded and that her parents were with her. “Our school community is rallying around Kendall, her classmates, and her loved ones,” the school said in a statement.
Another wounded student, 18-year-old freshman Spencer Yang of New York City, told the New York Times and the Brown Daily Herald from a hospital bed that there was a mad scramble after the gunman entered the room where he and the other students were studying for finals. Many students ran toward the front of the room, but Yang said he wound up on the ground between some seats and was shot in the leg.
Yang, who expects to be discharged in the coming days, said he tried to keep some of the more seriously wounded students conscious until police arrived.
A church on the university campus planned to host a “Community Service of Lament, Healing and Hope” on Tuesday night.
