US authorities hunting the perpetrator of the deadly shooting at Brown University are set to release an enhanced image more than 70 hours after the attack that has left the country reeling.
A city spokesperson told local media on Tuesday that they are pursuing a lead based on photos and videos of a person taken hours before Saturday’s deadly attack.
On Saturday, a gunman opened fire at the Brown University campus in Providence, Rhode Island, killing two students and wounding nine more. The dead have been named as Ella Cook, from Alabama, and Mukhammad Aziz Umurzokov, from Uzbekistan.
The shooter escaped, but a man detained over the weekend by police was released because of a lack of evidence, after US President Donald Trump had referred to him as "the suspect."
Police has not publicly identified any suspect but did release images on Monday of a "person of interest" taken two hours before the shooting, of someone in a black mask.
The FBI announced a $50,000 reward for any information that leads to the conviction of the perpetrator.
Meanwhile, Brown University President Christina H. Paxson released a message to the community on Tuesday mourning the loss of two beloved students, Cook and Umurzokov.
“Three days ago, we lost two members of our Brown community to an act of unimaginable and senseless violence,” Paxson said. “These were two young people whose amazing promise was extinguished too soon.”
Paxson said Cook was a sophomore and Umurzokov was in his first semester.
“While it is impossible for words to fully convey Ella’s and Mukhammad’s impact and potential, I want to share a little bit about them as we grieve their loss and seek to honor their memories,” the message read.
“Both were brilliant and beloved — as members of our campus community, but even more by their friends and families. Our hearts continue to be with them in their profound sorrow.”
Tributes for students
Paxson described Cook as an accomplished competitive pianist and a volunteer leader for the her church near her hometown in Alabama.
“She was known for her compassionate, loyal and courageous spirit,” Paxson wrote.
Umurzokov was “driven, conscientious and disciplined,” especially in his pursuit to become a neurosurgeon, the message said.
“A first-year student, he arrived this fall with a passion for medicine born from a personal experience, and he planned to concentrate in biochemistry and molecular biology to help realize his dream of becoming a doctor,” Paxson wrote.
