In a devastating mass shooting at Brown University on December 13, 2025, sophomore Ella Cook, a 19-year-old from Alabama known for her bright spirit and academic promise, was one of two students killed when a gunman opened fire in a crowded classroom during final exam preparations. The attack, which also claimed the life of freshman Mukhammad Aziz Umurzokov and injured nine others, shocked the Ivy League campus in Providence, Rhode Island.

For the first time since the tragedy, Ella Cook’s boyfriend has spoken publicly, revealing a chilling sense of foreboding that haunted him that fateful afternoon. He had positioned himself outside the building, waiting in the courtyard to escort her home after her exam review session. His intention was simple yet profound: to ensure her safety in an increasingly unpredictable world. “I just wanted to be there for her, to walk her back and make sure she got home okay,” he shared in an emotional interview. But fate intervened cruelly.

As the session concluded around 4 p.m., chaos erupted inside the Barus and Holley engineering building. The shooter, later identified as former Brown graduate student Cláudio Manuel Neves Valente, a 48-year-old Portuguese national who had withdrawn from the university decades earlier, stormed the room and unleashed gunfire. From his vantage point outside, Ella’s boyfriend witnessed the nightmare unfold through windows or an open view into the space. He saw the masked assailant carry out the horrific act, helpless as panic spread and lives were shattered. “I had this bad feeling all day,” he confessed, describing suspicions he couldn’t quite articulate beforehand – a gut instinct that something terrible was imminent.

Ella, affectionately nicknamed “Ellabama” on campus for her Southern roots, was studying French and mathematics-economics. Described by friends and family as a “bright light” with a kind heart, fluent French speaker, accomplished pianist, and active member of her sorority and the College Republicans, she embodied youthful potential cut tragically short. Her church in Birmingham, Alabama, mourned her as faithful and generous, while Brown President Christina Paxson called both victims “brilliant and beloved.”

The shooter fled the scene, later linking to another killing before taking his own life days afterward. The incident highlighted ongoing concerns about campus safety, prompting reviews of security protocols at Brown and broader discussions on gun violence in educational settings. Survivors are recovering, with the community rallying through vigils and support resources.

Ella’s boyfriend’s account adds a deeply personal layer to the grief, underscoring the randomness of such violence and the lingering trauma for those who loved the victims. As the Brown community heals over the holidays, his words serve as a poignant reminder of lives forever altered.