Brown University Person Of Interest Cased Building Hours Before Mass Shooting: Chief

PROVIDENCE, RI — The person of interest in the Brown University mass shooting cased the building where he killed two and injured at least eight others hours before the gun attack, the Providence police chief said.

"That's what criminals do," Chief Oscar L. Perez said during a Tuesday media briefing, noting video caught the man outside the Barus & Holley engineering and physics building hours before the Saturday afternoon shooting.

"We do know that he was casing the area, and again, that's what criminals do," Perez said.

During the briefing, Perez also called for residents in the area of Waterman and Hope streets to volunteer footage from their home surveillance video cameras or even from Teslas.

"We're asking you to go back at least a week to do that," Perez said.

The Providence police also released enhanced video and a new image of the person of interest as the hunt for the gunman entered its fourth day Tuesday.

Perez asked the public to watch the new video closely to see if anything tips off the identity of the person of interest.

"You want to focus on the body movements, the way the person moves their arms, the body posture, the way they carry their weight," Perez said. "I think those important movement patterns that may help you identify this individual, which is extremely important."

The Providence police had already released three photos and video.

"Anyone with information is urged to submit tips at fbi.gov/brownuniversityshooting or contact the Providence Police tip line at 401-272-3121," the department said in a media release.

During the Tuesday briefing, Providence Mayor Brett Smiley gave an update on eight hospitalized following the shooting.

One patient has been discharged, Smiley said, one remains in critical condition, five others are also in critical condition but are stable, and one is stable.

FBI Boston Special Agent in Charge Ted Docks said law enforcement has been "working around the clock" to catch the killer.

"While we mourn the devastating loss of the victims, and those who are critically injured, the FBI and its partners are dedicated to honoring their memory through a meticulous investigation," Docks said during a Monday media briefing.

Related: Providence Police Manhunt Continues In Brown University Mass Shooting

Another briefing was scheduled for Tuesday afternoon.

During the Monday briefing, Docks also announced a $50,000 reward for information on the gunman, who opened fire inside a final exam review session for an economics class shortly after 4 p.m.

Related: Providence Police Release Video Of Brown University 'Person Of Interest'

Brown University President Christina H. Paxson posted a message about the two slain students, sophomore Ella Cook and freshman MukhammadAziz Umurzokov, on the school's website Tuesday.

"I have learned that Ella, who came to Brown from Mountain Brook, Alabama, was a passionate and intellectually curious member of our community who was interested in French and Francophone studies," Paxson said of Cook.

Related: FBI Offers $50K Reward For Info On Brown University Killer

"Mukhammad was a U.S. dual citizen from Uzbekistan who graduated from Midlothian High School in Virginia," she said of Umurzokov. "There, he was a dedicated, well-rounded student who served as president of the school’s Model United Nations chapter and captain of the Scholastic Bowl team."

Related:

• Brown Shooting Victim From VA Dreamed Of Being Doctor, Always Had A Helping Hand
• Brown University Students Recall Barricading On Campus During Shooting, Say They Feel Unsafe With Suspect Still At Large
• 2 Killed, 9 Injured In Brown Shooting; Gunman Still At Large: Officials