Jared Evan – Jewish Voice News

As investigators race to identify the gunman behind the deadly December 13 classroom shooting at Brown University, a second, eerily timed killing just 50 miles away has deepened the mystery — and ignited a storm of speculation that authorities are now struggling to contain.

On Saturday afternoon, chaos erupted inside a Brown University classroom in Providence, Rhode Island, when a gunman opened fire during a study session, killing two students and wounding nine others before fleeing campus. More than three days later, the shooter remains at large, and police have yet to name a suspect or establish a motive, according to CNN-News18 and ABC News.

The victims were later identified as Ella Cook, a sophomore from Alabama, and Mukhammad Aziz Umurzokov, a first-semester student and U.S. dual citizen originally from Uzbekistan. Brown President Christina Paxson described them as students of “amazing promise” whose lives were cut tragically short, ABC News reported.

Cook was active in French studies, Alpha Chi Omega, and served as vice president of the Brown University College Republicans. Umurzokov, friends said, dreamed of becoming a surgeon and was known for his discipline, intellect, and compassion. Nine others survived the attack, some with serious injuries.

As the manhunt intensified, the FBI released surveillance footage showing a “person of interest” moving through campus — but in every clip, the individual’s face was obscured or turned away. FBI officials described the man only as stocky and about 5-foot-8, offering little else to the public.

Then, suddenly, attention shifted.

The Disappearing Profile

Online speculation exploded after users noticed that the Brown University website had removed the public student profile of Mustapha Kharbouch, a first-year student identified online as a Palestinian refugee born and raised in Lebanon, studying International Affairs and Anthropology with a focus on the Middle East.

Screenshots circulating on X showed Kharbouch’s profile describing his background, scholarship to United World College Maastricht, and involvement in social change initiatives. When the page vanished, questions followed.

Was the removal routine — or protective?
Was it coincidence — or something more?

CNN-News18 reported that authorities have not named Kharbouch as a suspect, nor linked him to the shooting in any way. Still, speculation surged, fueled further when right-wing activist Laura Loomer claimed a YouTube account under the same name featured Islamic content and alleged witnesses heard “Allahu Akbar” during the attack — claims police have not confirmed.

Brown University forcefully pushed back.

In a statement, the university warned that online targeting and conspiracy theories were “irresponsible, harmful, and dangerous,” explaining that removing online information can be a safety measure when individuals become the focus of harassment. Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Neronha echoed that warning, telling CNN that jumping from online activity to accusations was a “dangerous road.”

“If that name meant anything to this investigation,” Neronha said, “we would be out looking for that person.”

Still, the timing raised eyebrows — especially when a second shooting unfolded just days later.

A Second Killing, a Second Campus

On Monday night, MIT professor Nuno F.G. Loureiro, 47, was found shot inside his apartment in Brookline, Massachusetts, an affluent suburb outside Boston. He died the following morning at a hospital, authorities said, according to Fox News Digital.

Loureiro, a nuclear science and engineering professor and the newly appointed head of MIT’s Plasma Science and Fusion Center, was widely respected in academic circles. Neighbors told The Boston Globe they heard multiple gunshots around 8:30 p.m. One neighbor discovered Loureiro lying inside the building entrance and called 911.

Brookline police, the Norfolk County District Attorney’s Office, and Massachusetts State Police have launched a homicide investigation. No suspects have been arrested.

As mourners gathered outside Loureiro’s apartment, questions mounted — especially given the proximity in time and geography to the Brown massacre.

Is this coincidence?
Random violence?
Or something darker?

Authorities Say No — But Questions Persist

FBI Boston Special Agent in Charge Ted Docks told reporters there appears to be “no connection” between the Brown University shooting and the MIT professor’s killing. Law enforcement has offered no indication of ideological, political, or foreign involvement in either case.

Yet online, speculation continues to swirl:
Was the Brown attack connected to radical activism?
Could it intersect with the “Free Palestine” movement?
Or even hostile foreign actors, such as Iran, exploiting campus unrest?

So far, officials say there is no evidence supporting those theories.

But until a suspect is identified — and motives are made clear — the removal of a student profile, two elite campuses rocked by gunfire, and a fleeing shooter with no face remain unsettling threads in a story that is far from finished.

For now, investigators urge patience.
Families demand answers.
And the country watches, waiting to learn whether these tragedies are truly isolated — or part of something far more troubling.