Family and Friends Remember Mukhammadaziz Umurzokov Killed in Brown University Shooting
Relatives and former classmates of Mukhammadaziz Umurzokov have shared new details about his life and ambitions with the New York Times. The 18-year-old Brown University student was killed in last weekend’s campus shooting in Providence, as the investigation continues.
Umurzokov, 18, was known among friends and family as a high-achieving student who regularly helped classmates with homework and exam preparation, according to his two sisters and a former schoolmate.
His sisters, Rukhsora Umurzokova, 22, and Samira Umurzokova, 15, said the family received formal confirmation from the university that he was among those killed during a study session on Saturday. He had been scheduled to return home to Virginia later this week for the winter break.
Speaking from their home near Richmond, the sisters described their brother, the middle child, as gentle and outgoing, with a strong sense of responsibility towards others.
From Uzbekistan to Brown University
The family moved to the United States from Uzbekistan in 2011 and later became naturalised citizens. The US embassy in Uzbekistan said it was mourning the loss of a young man with a bright future.
His sisters said he chose Brown University largely because its financial aid package placed the least burden on his parents. Over the summer, he worked shifts at a convenience store to save money for a new laptop.
A former classmate, Maddox Johnson, said Umurzokov had received specialist treatment as a child for Chiari malformation, a condition in which spinal fluid puts pressure on the brain and spinal cord.
That experience shaped his ambition to become a neurosurgeon and help children with similar conditions.
Academic drive and close friendships
At secondary school in Virginia, Mukhammadaziz Umurzokov was regarded as an exceptionally driven student. Friends said he pressed school administrators to introduce more advanced physics classes after completing the most demanding course available and took more than a dozen Advanced Placement subjects.
He also competed in academic quiz competitions and was known for tutoring peers in mathematics. Johnson said Umurzokov recently spoke enthusiastically about the supportive group of friends he had found at university.
The American Uzbekistan Association described Umurzokov as intellectually gifted and kind, noting his quiet willingness to help others and the strong values instilled by his family and community.
Investigation continues
The family has requested that his body be returned to central Virginia as quickly as possible so they can observe Muslim burial traditions, which call for burial without delay. They also said they hope the criminal investigation will proceed swiftly.
Samira Umurzokova is currently raising money in memory of her brother on GoFundMe.
Mukhammadaziz Umurzokov was one of two students killed during the shooting in an engineering building on campus. The other victim was identified as 19-year-old sophomore Ella Cook, the vice president of the university’s College Republicans group. Nine others were injured.
Authorities have said the suspect remains at large. The FBI has announced a $50,000 reward for information leading to an arrest and has released images and video of a person of interest as police continue door-to-door enquiries in surrounding neighbourhoods.
