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One of the two victims killed in the mass shooting at Brown University has been identified, the New York Post reports.
Ella Cook, a sophomore student and the vice president of Brown University's Republican club, was identified by her Alabama parish and a former classmate as one of the two students killed during the incident on Saturday (December 13). A priest at her Alabama parish described her as a "tremendous bright light" during a mass that was livestreamed on Facebook.
Former Brown University student Alex Shieh, who dropped out of the college last semester, also confirmed that Cook was the vice president of the Ivy League university's Republican club, noting that she was one of a few people willing to associate with him after he sent a DOGE-inspired email to thousands of administrators.
“Everyone at Brown who knew Ella, regardless of their politics, found her to be friendly and kind. My thoughts are with Ella’s family. Ella was a promising young leader taken too soon,” Shieh wrote in a since-deleted post on X.
The person of interested previously detained in connection with the shooting has been released, Providence Mayor Brett Smiley confirmed during a press conference Sunday (December 14) night via NBC News.
"The status of safety in our community remains unchanged, and we believe that you remain safe in our community," Smiley said.
Officials contacted FBI Director Kash Patel prior to the announced release of the prior person of interest, who authorities were confident was the suspect. The mass shooting was reported on Brown University's East Side campus Saturday, which resulted in the deaths of two students and nine others being transported to local hospitals.
"Our hearts go out to them. This is a day of tremendous sorrow. No parent or family member should ever have to endure a day like this," said Brown University President Christina H. Paxson in a statement shared just before 2:00 a.m. local time. Eight of the nine victims treated for injuries remained hospitalized Sunday (December 14) morning with seven reported to be in stable condition and one in critical but stable condition.
A shelter-in-place order issued for the College Hill campus was lifted early Sunday morning, though the Providence Police Department confirmed that "police activity continues in areas that are still considered an active crime scene."
President Donald Trump addressed the incident, as well as the mass shooting targeting Jewish victims at Bondi Beach in Australia and the deaths of three U.S. soldiers in Syria, during a Christmas event at the White House on Sunday.
“I want to just pay my respects to the people, unfortunately, two are no longer with us, Brown University, nine injured, and two are looking down on us right now from Heaven,” Trump said via the New York Post. “And likewise, in Australia, that was a terrible attack. 11 dead, 29 badly wounded, and that was an anti-Semitic attack, obviously. And I just want to pay my respects to everybody.
“It was a rough day.”