Why Are Brown University Web Pages Disappearing After The Shooting?

Two students were killed, several others were injured, and the suspect remains at large. As students, parents, and the public search for answers, separate questions have begun to surface about Brown University’s actions in the immediate aftermath of the attack, specifically, allegations that the university removed or altered certain web pages.

Here is what has been reported so far.

What We Know About the Shooting

On December 13, a gunman opened fire inside an academic building on Brown University’s campus in Providence, Rhode Island. Two students were killed, and nine others were wounded before the shooter fled the scene.

Law enforcement has released surveillance footage showing a masked individual dressed in dark clothing, and continues to offer a reward for information leading to an arrest. The investigation remains active, involving local police and federal authorities.

The Victims

The two students killed in the attack have been publicly identified and remembered as incredible people whose lives were cut short.

Ella Cook, 19, was a sophomore at Brown University and one of the two students killed. She stood out not only for her academic promise, but also for her visible leadership, political engagement, and faith-centered life. She served as vice president of the Brown University College Republicans, a chapter of the national College Republicans organization. Friends and teachers described her as committed to principled debate, civic engagement, and active participation in campus discourse. Her chapter publicly mourned her as a “bold, brave, and kind heart” who served her classmates. She was also a gifted linguist and musician, fluent in French and a talented pianist.

Her leadership extended beyond campus. Public figures from her home state of Alabama issued statements honoring her life, and national officials also expressed condolences, reflecting the reach of her role and the shock surrounding her death. Church leaders described her as grounded, joyful, and someone whose spirituality animated her kindness toward others.

The second student killed was Mukhammad Aziz Umurzokov, 18, a freshman at Brown University whose life had only just begun to unfold. Originally from Uzbekistan, he immigrated to the United States as a child and later lived in Virginia before attending Brown. Family members said his desire to enter medicine was shaped by his own childhood medical experiences, and friends described him as driven, intellectually curious, and compassionate.

Who Is Mustapha Kharbouch?

According to international news outlets, Mustapha Kharbouch is a first-year student at Brown University studying International Affairs and Anthropology. Screenshots of his now-removed university profile described him as a third-generation Palestinian refugee born and raised in Lebanon and referenced his attendance at United World College Maastricht.

In the days following the shooting, users on social media noted that Kharbouch’s Brown profile was no longer accessible and that his LinkedIn and X accounts appeared to have been deleted or deactivated. These observations were widely reported and fueled speculation about a possible connection to the shooting.

Website Scrubbing Allegations

As the investigation unfolds, online observers have noted that certain pages on Brown University–affiliated websites disappeared.

Multiple outlets reported that a publicly accessible profile of a student affiliated with Brown’s Center for Middle East Studies was no longer available, returning a “page not found” message. The disappearance of the page, along with reports that associated social media accounts were no longer active, quickly became the subject of widespread online speculation.

International outlets, including Hindustan Times, DNA India, Moneycontrol, and Times of India, confirmed that the profile page had been taken down. These reports emphasized that no law enforcement agency has publicly connected Kharbouch to the shooting.

At the same time, online speculation framed the removal as part of an effort to “scrub” celebratory or biographical material related to him, particularly given his far-left political activism and participation in campus protests related to the Israel-Hamas conflict.

University and Law Enforcement Responses

Brown University has not stated that the page removal was connected to the shooting investigation. Rhode Island officials, including the state attorney general, have cautioned against drawing conclusions from webpage deletions, noting that institutions sometimes remove online material as a precautionary measure amid heightened attention or concerns about harassment and doxxing.

Officials have also stated that if a particular individual were relevant to the criminal investigation, law enforcement would make that known.

Why the Questions Continue

Still, the timing of the removals has disturbed many observers. In the absence of an identified suspect, every unexplained action draws scrutiny, especially since Brown is already facing intense criticism over campus safety, far-left political extremism, and transparency.

For now, the facts remain limited: a horrific act of violence occurred, two students lost their lives, and certain online pages were removed for reasons the university has not fully detailed.