“I Miss Everything:” Friends, Officials Mourn Uzbek Student Slain in the U.S.

MukhammadAziz Umurzokov, one of two students killed by a gunman at Brown University on December 13, appeared to be embracing life after moving from Uzbekistan to the United States with his family several years ago. According to his sister, he aspired to become a neurosurgeon, and his admission to the elite Rhode Island University marked a major step toward that goal.

The deaths of Umurzokov and fellow student Ella Cook of Alabama struck a deep chord. While mass shootings in the United States have become grimly familiar, many were especially shaken that lives filled with promise were cut short. In Umurzokov’s case, tributes poured in from the corridors of power and diplomacy in Tashkent to the suburbs of Richmond, Virginia, where he attended high school.

“The loss of innocent lives as a result of this tragedy is a heavy loss for all of us,” said Akhror Burkhanov, press secretary for Uzbekistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in a post on X. He added that Uzbekistan’s diplomatic missions in the United States are in constant contact with the victim’s relatives and are working closely with U.S. authorities on all related matters.

U.S. Ambassador to Uzbekistan Jonathan Henick also expressed condolences following the shooting at Brown University.

“We extend our sincere condolences to Mr. Umurzokov’s family, friends, and fellow students and mourn the loss of his bright future,” Henick said in a statement. He concluded with an Uzbek phrase: “Marhumni Xudo rahmat qilsin” — “May God have mercy on the deceased.”

The Uzbek American Association issued its own tribute, saying Umurzokov’s death “has left an immeasurable void in the hearts of his family, friends, classmates, and the broader Uzbek American community.”

Messages from friends in the United States reflected how fully Umurzokov had become part of American life within the Uzbek diaspora.

“I miss everything,” wrote Jameson Huang on a GoFundMe page set up by Umurzokov’s sister, Samira Umurzokova. “Let’s catch up one day in Publix, drinking Arizonas and eating mac and cheese. Let’s race our cars and see who’s faster. Let’s redo the chaos of the college application cycle and the late night calls and hangouts. One day man, one day. For now, rest easy and stay safe up there.”