College Republicans of America
Ella Cook
A standout student remembered as a “bright light” and an aspiring neurosurgeon described as a “gifted” young scholar were the two victims killed in a shooting at Brown University.
Tributes began pouring in for Ella Cook, a second-year student and the vice-president of the school’s Republican student organisation, and Mukhammad Aziz Umurzokov, a first-year student, during a candlelight vigil held in their honour on Sunday.
A gunman burst onto the campus in Providence, Rhode Island, on Saturday and injured nine students while killing two others who have now been identified.
Here’s what we know about the victims.
Ella Cook, 19
Ms Cook was described by the New York Times as an accomplished pianist and a standout student who spent her summers as an employee at a local ice cream shop.
She was attending a review session for her upcoming exam in an introductory economics class when a masked gunman entered the classroom and opened fire.
Martin Bertao, president of the College Republicans of America, said in a statement after her death that the group was “devastated to learn of the loss” of Ms Cook. She was vice-president of the school’s Republican student organisation.
“Ella was known for her bold, brave and kind heart as she served her chapter and fellow classmates,” he said.
The Cathedral Church of the Advent located in Birmingham, Alabama, near Ms Cooks’ hometown, held a vigil in her honour on Sunday.
She was an “incredible grounded, faithful, bright light”, the church said, according to NBC News.
Alabama Senator Tommy Tuberville said he was “heartbroken” over her death, in a tribute to Ms Cook posted on X.
“Our hearts and our prayers are with the Cook family and everyone impacted by this senseless killing,” he said.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said on X about Ms Cook: “There are no words.
“Thinking of her family and friends, especially her parents. God please bless them.”
Mukhammad Aziz Umurzokov, 18
GoFundMe
Mr Umurzokov was remembered as a gifted student and promising scholar, widely considered a prerequisite for students who wish to attend an Ivy League institution like Brown.
Speaking to the Washington Post, his sister Rukhsora Umurzokova said the young man took every Advanced Placement class he could while in high school, and worked over the summer at a local convenience store to buy himself a laptop.
“It just seems so unfair, because he tried so hard and he went through so much, just to wind up like this,” she said.
According to multiple reports, Mr Umurzokov received a scholarship to attend Brown, where he was studying to become a neurosurgeon.
The aspiration was inspired by his own health challenges as a child, his sister said, after Mr Umurzokov had a brain surgery that took years to fully recover from.
“He was incredibly kind, funny, and smart,” his family said about Mr Umurzokov in a GoFundMe created for him.
“He had big dreams of becoming a neurosurgeon and helping people. He continues to be my family’s biggest role model in all aspects.”
The American Uzbekistan Association said in a post on social media that Mr Umurzokov “carried himself with humility and compassion, earning the respect and affection of those around him”.
“He had a future filled with promise, and his life was cut short far too soon,” it said.
