Brown University Shooter Still At Large After Person of Interest Released

Late last night, Rhode Island authorities announced they were releasing the man detained as a person of interest in the Brown University shooting. The evidence, Attorney General Peter Neronha said, "now points in a different direction."

The killer remains at large.

"We have a murderer out there, frankly," Neronha said at a press conference around 11 PM Sunday.

This is a significant development that changes the posture of this investigation entirely. What authorities believed was a rapidly solved case less than 24 hours after the shooting has now become an active manhunt with no identified suspect. The only evidence officials say they have is a short surveillance video showing someone dressed in black leaving the engineering building and walking up Hope Street.

What We Know Now

The person of interest, a 24-year-old Army veteran from Wisconsin, was detained early Sunday morning at a Hampton Inn in Coventry, Rhode Island, about 20 miles from Providence. Two firearms were recovered from his hotel room. The FBI had traced him there using cellphone data.

But after a full day of investigation, gathering evidence, and executing search warrants, authorities determined they did not have a basis to continue holding him. Neronha said there was initially "a quantum of evidence" that justified the detention, but that evidence was not corroborated by subsequent investigation.

Providence Mayor Brett Smiley acknowledged Monday morning that anxiety in the community "has risen" since the release. He said authorities have received no credible threats to the public but could not say whether the investigation was pointing toward a student or someone from off-campus.

The investigation, officials acknowledged, is essentially starting over.

The Victims

Two students were killed in Saturday's attack. Their families have now been notified, and their names have been released.

Ella Cook, 19, was a sophomore from Birmingham, Alabama. She served as vice president of Brown's College Republicans chapter. Her church, the Cathedral Church of the Advent in Birmingham, identified her during a service Sunday and described her as a "tremendous bright light" to all who knew her. She is survived by her parents and two siblings.

MuhammadAziz Umurzakov was from Uzbekistan in central Asia. Additional details about him have not yet been released.

Nine other students remain hospitalized. As of Monday morning, seven are in stable condition, one is in critical but stable condition, and one has been discharged.

What This Means

Yesterday I wrote about this case. I wrote about the importance of due process, about presumption of innocence, about making sure we get it right instead of getting it fast. I wrote those words while multiple news outlets, citing law enforcement sources, were identifying the person of interest by name, publishing his background, his military service, his LinkedIn profile.

And now that person has been released. The evidence pointed in the wrong direction.

This is exactly why we don't convict people in the press. This is exactly why "person of interest" is not the same as "suspect" is not the same as "defendant" is not the same as "guilty." This is exactly why the system has safeguards, why we demand proof, why we insist on process.

A man spent a day in custody, had his name and face plastered across every news outlet in America, had FBI agents show up at his family's home in Wisconsin, had his entire life history dissected in public. And he didn't do it.

Meanwhile, the actual killer walked free for another day. Is still walking free right now.

Moving Forward

Brown University has canceled all remaining classes and final exams for the fall semester. Students are being given options to accept their current grades or convert to satisfactory/no credit. Many have already left campus. Those who remain have access to counseling and support services.

The investigation continues with federal, state, and local law enforcement coordinating. Officials are asking anyone with information, including anyone with Ring doorbell footage from the area, to come forward.

I'll continue to follow this case. When they identify and arrest the actual perpetrator, we'll cover the legal proceedings. We'll watch how the prosecution builds its case. We'll make sure they do it right.

Because that's what this work is about. Not rushing to judgment. Not accepting the first story that sounds plausible. Watching the system. Questioning everything. Making sure that when justice is finally delivered, it's delivered to the right person, for the right reasons, through the right process.

Ella Cook and MuhammadAziz Umurzakov deserve that. Their families deserve that. The nine students fighting to recover deserve that.

And yes, even the person who actually did this deserves a fair process. Because that's how we prove we're different from them.