Providence, Rhode Island — The first semester for many college freshmen is marked by excitement, new friendships, and the thrill of independence. For one student at Brown University, however, the joy of that experience turned to horror on December 12, when a shooting incident inside the Engineering and Physics building shattered the campus tranquility.
At approximately 4 p.m., a gunman opened fire, injuring nine students and tragically claiming the lives of Ella Cook, 18, and 19-year-old Mukhammad Aziz Umurzokov. The news spread rapidly, leaving the university community in shock and disbelief.
Freshman student Rajan, who had made friends despite starting the school year without anyone she knew, recalled the moment she received a frantic text from a friend advising her to stay inside because of an “active shooter.” In a frantic effort to safeguard herself, she rushed to her dorm, where she and her roommate sheltered in place for over 12 hours.
“We barricaded the door, closed the windows, and turned off the lights,” said Rajan, who felt an overwhelming sense of helplessness during the ordeal. As she attempted to glean information through social media, she faced a daunting challenge: sifting through a flood of misinformation. “It was terrifying, and I was constantly worried about my friends,” she shared.
Rajan later learned that friends of hers were in the classroom where the shooting occurred. She expressed grief for Umurzokov, whom she had known and seen earlier that day. “He always made an effort to remember names, even when everything feels overwhelming in college,” she recalled. His ambition to become a neurosurgeon, a dream he had held since childhood, underscores the profound loss felt by his peers.
While Rajan has participated in active shooter training since middle school, she noted that many of her friends, particularly international students, were unprepared for the traumatic situation. “This is a uniquely American experience. Many had no idea how to respond, and the reality of it was jarring,” she said. The simulated training did not fully prepare her for the emotional tumult of witnessing a tragedy involving friends and a newfound community.
Now back home in Mason, Rajan took the earliest flight available to reunite with her family. Looking ahead, she plans to return to Brown when the next semester begins in January. However, she acknowledges that campus life will be irrevocably changed. “It’s going to be hard to start the next semester knowing that two of our classmates will never get to experience that first snowfall or see their dreams realized,” she said. “The entire community feels diminished because of this loss.”