Brown University Victim Identified as 19-Year-Old Vice President of Republican Club

The first victim of the tragic and horrific mass shooting at Brown University has been identified as 19-year-old Ella Cook.

She was a sophomore and Vice President of the school’s Republican Club.

What a tragic loss of life.

Ella’s death was announced by her church in Alabama, where she was an active parishioner.

ABC News has more:

One of the victims killed in Saturday’s shooting at Brown University has been identified as Ella Cook, a Brown student and a parishioner at the Cathedral Church of the Advent in Birmingham, Alabama.

The church’s Rev. Craig Smalley announced Cook’s death in his service on Sunday morning, calling Cook “incredibly grounded and generous and faithful” and a “bright light” in the church and in her community.

“Many of you heard about the tragedy, which happened at Brown University. … And sadly, tragically, one of those people is one of our parishioners,” Smalley said during the service.

“She was engaged and involved in our worship and in our community, and as she served here at the church and in the wider community, in all sincerity, just a tremendous and bright light in there at Brown University as well, in the time that she was there, was such a light and such a witness,” Smalley added.

Cook was one of two people killed in the deadly shooting at the Ivy League school on Saturday afternoon in a building on campus where exams were taking place, according to university officials.

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Nine others were injured in the brazen attack, officials said.

“And for those of you who knew her, who know her, she was a just incredibly grounded and generous and faithful and bright light, both here at the Advent, over many years, as she was engaged and involved in our worship and in our community, and as she served here at the church and in the wider community, in all sincerity, just a tremendous, a tremendous and bright light in there at Brown University as well, in the time that she was there was such a light and such a witness.”

Ella Cook is remembered as a kind-hearted girl who was strong in her beliefs by former classmates.

Former Brown University student Alex Shieh, who knew Ella, shared a story about her:

I’m still in shock over the news from Brown University, where I was a student until a few months ago. And it broke my heart to learn that Ella Cook, a sophomore from Alabama, is no longer with us 💔

I knew Ella through Brown Republicans, where she was vice president.

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Being a conservative at Brown isn’t always the easiest, but Ella was never afraid to share her beliefs on an overwhelmingly liberal campus and support others in doing so.

Last spring, while I was under a disciplinary investigation for reporting on Brown’s administration for the conservative student paper, almost nobody wanted to be associated with me. Ella was one of the few who were willing to stand with me in public and help hand out newspapers in front of the dining hall.

Everyone at Brown who knew Ella, regardless of their politics, found her to be friendly and kind. My thoughts are with Ella’s family. Ella was a promising young leader taken too soon🕊️

College Republicans of America Founder William Branson Donahu also released a statement on her untimely death:

I am filled with rage and sadness to learn that our Brown College Republicans VP, Ella Cook, has been identified as one of the victims from the attack. I’m told she was allegedly targeted for her conservative beliefs, hunted, and killed in cold blood. Losing Charlie three months ago rocked our worlds. The entire College Republicans community is weeping this evening learning of the news. This was an attack on our family.

RIP, Ella.

She is looking down on us from heaven now.

Please keep Ella’s family and other loved ones in your prayers in this unimaginable time of grief.