2 Dead, Several Injured In Brown University Shooting: Person Of Interest Detained

A person of interest in the Saturday shooting at Brown University that killed two students and injured nine others has been detained, according to Providence police. The incident occurred at about 4:00 p.m. in the Barus and Holley engineering building during final exams, with one of the victims reportedly involved in a Principles of Economics review session.

The gunman, described as a male dressed entirely in black and possibly wearing a dark camouflage mask, fled the scene on foot after opening fire in a first-floor classroom within the seven-story Barus and Holley building, which houses the School of Engineering and the Physics Department.

Surveillance footage released by police shows the suspect exiting the building on Hope Street, but it remains unclear if this individual is the same person detained.

The suspect, identified as 24-year-old Benjamin Erickson from Wisconsin, was taken into custody early Sunday morning at a Hampton Inn in Coventry, Rhode Island, following a tip from law enforcement. Authorities confirmed he was in possession of two firearms at the time of his arrest. The FBI and local police collaborated on the operation, which concluded with no further suspects sought.

Erickson is not currently enrolled at Brown University, and authorities are investigating his potential connection to the campus and his mental health history.

All victims, including the two deceased, were students at Brown University, though their identities have not yet been publicly released. One of the injured students, 18-year-old Spencer Yang, was shot in the leg while helping another student and is recovering in a Rhode Island hospital.

Brown University President Christina Paxson announced the cancellation of all remaining classes, exams, papers, and projects for the fall 2025 semester due to the tragedy.

A shelter-in-place order for the campus and surrounding areas was lifted at 5:42 a.m. Sunday, though access to certain areas remains restricted due to ongoing police investigations.

Federal and state officials, including President Donald Trump, FBI Director Kash Patel, and Attorney General Pam Bondi, expressed condolences and called for prayers.