Growing up in suburban Mountain Brook, Ala., Ella Cook was many things: An accomplished pianist. A summer employee at a local ice cream shop. And a standout high school student, with the grades to win acceptance to Brown University.
On Saturday afternoon, the college sophomore made her way to a review session for her upcoming exam in an introductory economics class. With about 60 other students who had gathered in the lecture hall, mostly freshmen, she spent two hours preparing for the test.
Then, just as the session ended at 4 p.m., commotion erupted in the hall outside. A masked gunman entered the classroom, and students scrambled to escape. Ms. Cook, 19, was among those who did not make it out, elected officials confirmed in statements. She was one of two students killed in the shooting.
On Sunday, as news of her death spread through her hometown, just east of Birmingham, glimmers of Ms. Cook’s gifts and potential could be glimpsed in the memories of people who knew her, and in social media posts by friends.
At her church, Cathedral Church of the Advent in Birmingham, the Rev. Craig Smalley broke the news of Ms. Cook’s death to members of the congregation during a worship service on Sunday morning, describing her as “incredibly grounded and generous and faithful,” and “a bright light.”
He offered prayers for her family, and paraphrased from the Bible’s book of John: “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not and will not overcome it.”
People gathered outside the Cook home in Mountain Brook on Sunday declined to speak to a reporter, and family members did not respond to phone calls and messages.
Catherine Johnson, 21, knew Ms. Cook when both attended Mountain Brook High School, and said in an interview that she was “so smart, so studious and focused” and an exceptional pianist.
When they competed together in a school pageant held every year to showcase student performances and raise money for school projects, Ms. Johnson said she was amazed by Ms. Cook’s abilities.
“I remember hearing her play the piano for the first time when we had a dress rehearsal, and I was just shocked,” Ms. Johnson said.
Another high school classmate marveled that Ms. Cook could be so accomplished, “yet so humble.”
“Everyone who knew her would praise how kind she was,” Anna Bella Foster said in an e-mail.
Ms. Johnson added that Ms. Cook was fluent in French and was a member of her high school’s French Honor Society. She worked last summer as a program assistant at an organization that runs summer study programs at universities around the world, according to her LinkedIn profile.
She also worked at an ice-cream parlor in her hometown during her senior year in high school and the summer before she left for college, said Draiven Swaner, an employee of the shop, Mountain Brook Creamery.
At Brown, Ms. Cook served as vice president of the college Republican Club. In a statement, Martin Bertao, president of College Republicans of America, said she was known for her “bold, brave, and kind heart as she served her chapter and her fellow classmates.”
One friend called Ms. Cook “an independent thinker” on TikTok, writing that “we had so many differences and we really educated each other. I loved her ideas.”
Another TikTok user who knew Ms. Cook posted a video of her on a spotlit stage at her high school pageant, sitting at a piano wearing a long blue gown and sparkly earrings and playing a rhapsodic piece of music. When she finished, her hands lifted from the keyboard in a flourish as the audience erupted in cheers and applause.
“I just can’t believe the most graceful, positive, smiley, intelligent, and kind girl in the world is gone,” her friend wrote, adding that Ms. Cook was due to come home for Christmas in a few days.
“Beautiful and talented Ella,” he said. “You will never be forgotten.”
Bryant K. Oden contributed reporting from Mountain Brook, Ala. Georgia Gee, Emily Cochrane, Christina Morales and Eduardo Medina also contributed.
Jenna Russell is the lead reporter covering New England for The Times. She is based near Boston.
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