In a heartbreaking turn of events, friends of Ella Cook, one of the two students killed in the December 13, 2025, mass shooting at Brown University, struggled to accept the reality that their close companions were the victims. Just 30 minutes before the tragedy unfolded, the group had excitedly made plans to celebrate the end of finals with dinner and a special birthday surprise for Ella, whose special day was approaching. “The birthday surprise for Ella Cook is still waiting,” one friend shared in sorrow, capturing the unimaginable shift from joy to devastation.

The shooting occurred in the Barus and Holley building during a review session for an economics class, amid the intense final exam period. A masked gunman entered the classroom around 4 p.m., opening fire and killing sophomore Ella Cook, 19, from Mountain Brook, Alabama, and freshman Mukhammad Aziz Umurzokov, along with injuring nine others. All victims were Brown students, and the attack sent shockwaves through the Ivy League campus in Providence, Rhode Island.

Ella was remembered as a vibrant, faith-filled young woman with a bright future. A talented pianist fluent in French, she was studying French and mathematics-economics, set to graduate in 2028. Active on campus, she served as vice president of the Brown College Republicans and was a beloved member of the Alpha Chi Omega sorority. Friends and community members described her as a “bold, brave, and kind-hearted” leader who radiated positivity. Back home, she was a devoted parishioner at the Cathedral Church of the Advent in Birmingham, where her pastor called her an “incredibly grounded and generous bright light” who uplifted everyone around her.

Her classmate and friend Phoebe Peus recounted the agonizing moments after the shooting, repeatedly checking Ella’s phone location, hoping it had simply been dropped in the chaos. The sudden loss left friends reeling, unable to fathom that the victims they heard about on alerts were their own.

Mukhammad Aziz Umurzokov, the other victim, was an ambitious freshman with dreams of becoming a neurosurgeon, inspired by his own childhood brain surgery. Described by family as kind and brilliant, he had immigrated from Uzbekistan and was building a promising life in the U.S.

The campus community mourned deeply, with candlelight vigils and memorials springing up. Brown University canceled all remaining classes and exams for the semester, offering extensive support including mental health resources. As the manhunt for the suspect continued, with authorities releasing enhanced footage of a person of interest, the focus remained on healing from a senseless act that robbed two talented young lives of their potential.

This tragedy underscores the profound grief of interrupted futures—plans for celebrations, dreams, and everyday moments shattered in an instant. Ella’s unfinished birthday surprise stands as a poignant reminder of what was stolen from her friends and family.