BREAKING: Brown College mass shooter suspect recognized as Wisconsin man Benjamin Erickson, 24
Authorities said Erickson was apprehended at a hotel roughly 15 miles from the Providence campus.
Benjamin Erickson, a 24-year-old originally from Wisconsin, is the person of interest taken into custody in connection with the shooting at Brown University, according to two people briefed on the investigation who spoke to The Washington Post on the condition of anonymity. Authorities said Erickson was apprehended at a hotel roughly 15 miles from the Providence campus.
Law enforcement also say a revolver and a Glock with a laser sight were found in the hotel room of the man suspect.
The shooting took place late Saturday during a final exam review session for a Principles of Economics course inside the Barus & Holley building on Brown University’s campus. Students were gathered in a large lecture hall on the building’s first floor and were preparing to leave when gunfire erupted, according to witnesses. A masked individual armed with a rifle entered the room and opened fire, sending students scrambling for cover.
Teaching assistant Joseph Oduro, who was leading the review session, said the gunman was wearing a face mask and carrying a rifle. He told investigators that the shooter yelled something as he entered the room, though the words were unclear. Oduro said he and roughly 20 students hid behind a desk, while students seated in the center of the lecture hall were most exposed and suffered the worst injuries.
University officials initially issued a shelter-in-place order as the situation unfolded, later lifting it briefly before reinstating restrictions amid uncertainty over the suspect’s status. At one point, the university incorrectly announced that a suspect was in custody and that additional gunfire had occurred, adding to confusion on campus.
Federal and local authorities launched a large-scale response, with hundreds of officers searching the campus and surrounding neighborhoods throughout the night. The FBI released grainy surveillance footage showing a person in dark clothing and a dark head covering walking near Hope Street, close to the engineering and physics buildings, and asked the public to submit any video or information that could assist the investigation.
Brown University President Christina H. Paxson described the attack as “devastating gun violence,” saying the university community was experiencing “a day of tremendous sorrow.” The campus remained locked down until Sunday morning as investigators continued processing the scene and interviewing witnesses.
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