Brown University Shooting Update: Person of Interest Identified as 24-Year-Old Benjamin Erickson

Providence authorities have taken a person of interest into custody in connection with the deadly shooting at Brown University, according to multiple law enforcement sources familiar with the investigation.

The individual has been identified as 24-year-old Benjamin Erickson, a Wisconsin native, sources told Channel2 NOW on condition of anonymity due to the ongoing nature of the case.

Officials said Erickson was detained at a hotel in Coventry, Rhode Island, approximately 15 miles southwest of Brown’s campus, during an early-morning coordinated operation involving federal, state, and local agencies.

Publicly available information, including a LinkedIn profile reviewed by investigators, indicates that Erickson previously served as an infantry soldier in the U.S. Army from 2021 to 2024. His profile states that he completed sniper training, served as a rifleman, and provided firearms instruction. It also notes that he received a Good Conduct Medal and performed security-related duties, including assignments near the president and participation in military funeral ceremonies at Arlington National Cemetery.

A U.S. Army spokesperson confirmed that Erickson had no overseas deployments and separated from the service last year with the rank of specialist.

According to law enforcement, Erickson is not currently enrolled at Brown University, though sources say he may have been recently enrolled or planning to enroll. His LinkedIn profile mentions an intention to begin studies at Brown University during the fall 2025 semester.

The profile further states that Erickson took online psychology coursework at the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee after graduating high school in July 2020, prior to his military service. Brown University has not commented publicly on his academic history.

The LinkedIn profile lists personal interests including animal welfare, veteran support, and helping underserved populations. It also notes that he interned as a carpenter and volunteered at a horse rescue facility.

A staff member at Gentle Giants Draft Horse Rescue in Maryland confirmed that Erickson was part of an Army unit that trained there between 2023 and 2024. The staff member said he was associated with the Caisson Detachment of the U.S. Army’s 3rd Infantry Regiment, which provides horse-drawn escorts during military and state funerals.

Additional records show Erickson participated in high school wrestling and maintained a social media presence in his teenage years, posting about wrestling, music, and political satire. Court records revealed no significant criminal history aside from a 2023 citation for driving on a sidewalk, which was dismissed.

Federal and local authorities traced the person of interest to the hotel using cellphone geolocation data, according to FBI Director Kash Patel, who confirmed that the FBI’s Cellular Analysis Survey Team played a key role in locating the individual.

“As a result, early this morning, FBI Boston’s Safe Streets Task Force, with assistance from the U.S. Marshals Service and the Coventry Police Department, detained a person of interest in a hotel room in Coventry, Rhode Island, based on a lead from the Providence Police Department,” Patel said in a public statement.

Law enforcement sources report that officers knocked on the hotel room door and ordered the individual to open it. Investigators questioned him about his whereabouts during the shooting. He reportedly told officers he had remained at the hotel throughout that time.

During a search of the room, authorities recovered a revolver and a small Glock handgun with a laser sight, according to multiple federal sources. Investigators believe the individual traveled from Wisconsin to Rhode Island before the attack.

Providence Police Chief Col. Oscar Perez acknowledged the close coordination between agencies but declined to release additional details due to the active investigation.

“We have deployed local and national resources to process and reconstruct the shooting scene,” Patel added. “The FBI will continue an all-out, 24/7 effort until justice is fully served.”

Officials emphasized that the detained individual is a person of interest and no formal charges have been announced.

The shooting occurred inside the Barus and Holley Engineering Building at Brown University, specifically in a first-floor classroom.

Sources say the classroom was associated with Rachel Friedberg, a Faculty Associate in Brown’s Program in Judaic Studies who previously taught at Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Exams were underway at the time of the attack.

At approximately 4:22 p.m., Brown University issued an emergency alert warning of an active shooter near the Barus and Holley Engineering Lab. Students and staff were instructed to lock doors, silence phones, and shelter in place. A later alert reported additional gunfire near Governor Street, about two blocks from campus.

Authorities confirmed:

• Two fatalities

• Eight victims hospitalized in critical but stable condition

• One additional victim injured by bullet fragments and expected to recover

Police earlier described the suspect as a male dressed in black, possibly wearing a camouflaged mask. No weapon was recovered at the shooting scene, though investigators believe a firearm was used.

Officials said the suspect fled the building on foot toward Hope Street. There was no direct confrontation with police inside the building, and investigators say they do not currently have interior surveillance footage. How the suspect entered and exited remains under review.

As of the latest update:

• The shelter-in-place order has been lifted

• No suspect has been formally charged

• Authorities have not released victim identities

• Brown University, Providence Police, and the FBI continue to work in close coordination

Officials urge the public to avoid speculation as investigators work to determine motive, reconstruct the timeline, and establish whether additional individuals were involved.