Benjamin Erickson, 24, has been reported by multiple outlets as a person of interest in the Brown University shooting that killed at least two people and wounded nine. Federal agents reportedly detained Erickson at a Coventry, R.I., hotel and recovered two firearms. Public records link him to Washington, D.C., and to Wisconsin as a home state. The U.S. Army says he served as an infantryman from May 2021 to November 2024, with no deployments and the rank of specialist.
Benjamin Erickson: Reported Person of Interest in Brown University Shooting — Detained; Two Firearms Recovered
Authorities have named Benjamin Erickson as a reported person of interest in the shooting at Brown University that left at least two people dead and nine others wounded, officials and multiple news outlets reported.
Key Details
According to reporting by The Washington Post and NBC News, Erickson, 24, was identified Sunday as a person of interest in the investigation. Sources told The Post that Erickson is originally from Wisconsin. Federal agents reportedly detained him at a hotel in Coventry, R.I., and recovered two firearms connected to him.
Investigation & Detention
Providence Police Department Chief Oscar Perez said early Sunday that the person of interest had been detained overnight. Media reports indicate that federal agents took Erickson into custody at a Coventry hotel and recovered two weapons; officials have not announced any formal charges. The investigation is active and details remain under review.
Residency Links
Public records cited by NBC News show Erickson lived in a Washington, D.C., apartment in 2024. The Washington Post also reported a possible connection to an apartment on D.C.’s Southwest Waterfront; reporters who visited that address said no one answered the door.
Military Service
An Army spokesperson, Lt. Col. Ruth Castro, told NBC News that Erickson served as an Army infantryman from May 2021 to November 2024. Castro said he had no deployments and left the Army with the rank of specialist.
"He has no deployments and left the Army in the rank of specialist," the Army spokesperson said, according to NBC News.
Ongoing Reporting
News outlets report these developments based on law enforcement sources and public records. The Hill has reached out to the Army and other authorities for confirmation and additional details. Officials have not publicly confirmed charges, and the investigation remains ongoing.
