The person of interest in the deadly mass shooting at Brown University has been identified as a 24-year-old former US Army soldier from Wisconsin, law enforcement sources told The Post.
The man, Benjamin Erickson, was taken into custody early Sunday morning at a Hampton Inn in Coventry, Rhode Island, following an 11-hour manhunt sparked by Saturday’s shooting on Brown’s Providence campus during a final exam study session. Authorities later announced during an unexpected press conference that Erickson was released from custody late Sunday night.
“This is how investigations like this unfold,” Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Neronha said. “Sometimes you pursue one direction, sometimes you reassess and move another way.”
Erickson, originally from Wisconsin, has lived in Washington, DC, since 2024. Public records show he is registered to vote under a “statehood” party affiliation, indicating support for DC statehood.
According to an Army spokesperson, Erickson served as an infantryman from May 2021 until November 2024, leaving the military with the rank of specialist. During his service, he trained with the Caisson Detachment of the Army’s 3rd US Infantry Regiment, known as “The Old Guard,” and was stationed at Arlington National Cemetery.
A source told CNN that Erickson assisted with military funerals and carried out security duties. His now-deleted LinkedIn profile, reviewed by the outlet, showed he had earned a good conduct medal and completed sniper training.
Authorities said the shooter used a handgun and fired more than 40 rounds of 9mm ammunition during the attack, which killed two students and wounded nine others.
Investigators emphasized that Erickson was not a current Brown University student, but they are looking into whether he previously attended the school or had other connections. Erickson had previously posted on LinkedIn that he planned to continue his education at Brown in the fall 2025 semester.
After graduating from high school in 2020, he took online psychology courses through the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee, CNN reported.
Sources also said investigators are examining whether Erickson has a history of mental health issues.
Witnesses told police the gunman shouted something while firing, though no one could clearly make out what was said. Public records show Erickson does not appear to have a prior criminal history, and authorities have not yet identified a motive for the attack.
A former high school classmate, Bryce Jankowski, told CNN that Erickson had texted him claiming he was studying at Brown and staying in a hotel because his apartment had flooded.
“He said he was doing good,” Jankowski said, describing Erickson as “wicked smart.”
A revolver and a small handgun equipped with a distinctive laser attachment were recovered from Erickson’s hotel room, according to law enforcement sources and CNN. Investigators said the unique laser device helped lead them to him.
Erickson told authorities he was inside his hotel room at the time of the shooting, CNN reported.
Officials said the FBI assisted in locating Erickson using cell phone geolocation data from its Cellular Analysis Survey Team. Police also relied on surveillance footage, public tips, license plate readers, and other investigative leads to track him to the Coventry hotel.
University video footage showed the suspected gunman calmly walking along Hope Street on campus, dressed entirely in dark clothing with his face covered.
Police stressed Sunday that no charges have been filed and that Erickson was detained solely as a person of interest.
The shooting occurred around 4:30 p.m. during an economics exam review session led by Professor Rachel Friedberg, a faculty associate with Brown’s Program in Judaic Studies. Friedberg’s research focuses on the economic impact of immigration in the US and Israel, and she previously taught at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
Providence Mayor Brett Smiley said one victim remains in critical condition, seven others are stable, and one person has been released from the hospital.
“We are grieving as a community after this tragic act of gun violence that took the lives of two of our students,” Brown University President Christina Paxson said in a statement. “The last 24 hours have been unimaginable — a tragedy no university is ever truly prepared for.”
While the shelter-in-place order has been lifted, Brown University canceled all remaining final exams.
“At this moment, our priority must be caring for and supporting our community as we confront the sorrow, fear, and anxiety we are all experiencing,” Provost Francis J. Doyle III said.
President Trump also addressed the shooting during a White House Christmas event, offering condolences to the victims and their families.
“I want to pay my respects to the people involved — two lives lost at Brown University and nine injured,” Trump said. “Two are looking down on us now from Heaven.”
A candlelight vigil was held Sunday night at Lippitt Memorial in Providence, replacing the city’s planned holiday light celebration. Hundreds gathered to honor the victims.
“We are here to bring light to one another during one of Providence’s darkest moments,” City Councilwoman Sue AnderBois said. “Our hearts break for the students who lost their lives, for the injured, and for the entire Brown and Greater Providence community.”
Mayor Smiley echoed that sentiment, saying, “It will be a long road, but what we’ve seen over the past 24 hours is the very best of this community — people showing up for one another when it matters most.”
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