Ella Cook was a 19-year-old Brown University student from Mountain Brook, Alabama who was killed in a campus classroom shooting in mid-December 2025. She was one of two students who died and nine others were injured when a gunman opened fire during an economics review session on Brown’s campus in Providence, Rhode Island.
What happened
Reports state that a masked gunman entered a classroom where students were gathered for a review session for an introductory economics exam and opened fire, striking multiple people. Ella was confirmed as one of the two students who died in the attack, which also left several others hospitalized with injuries.
Who Ella Cook was
Ella was a sophomore at Brown, described as an exceptional student and gifted pianist who had previously attended Mountain Brook High School in Alabama. She was active in campus life as vice president of Brown’s College Republicans and was remembered by community and political leaders as a “bright light” with a promising future.
Aftermath and response
Vigils were held at Brown University and in her home community, and her church in Birmingham, Cathedral Church of the Advent, publicly announced and mourned her death. State and national leaders, including Alabama officials and national political figures, issued statements of condolence and ordered flags lowered in her honor.
If you meant a different Ella Cook (for example a friend or someone local to you), sharing more details like where she lived or her age could help narrow things down.
