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Who is Benjamin Erickson? Brown University shooting suspect identified as 24-year-old
Brown University shooting suspect was identified as 24-year-old Benjamin Erickson, now in custody after being arrested at a Rhode Island hotel early Sunday.
son of interestThe suspect in the shooting at Brown University, in Providence, Rhode Island, on Saturday was identified as Benjamin Erickson - a 24-year-old. He is now in custody, police announced earlier on Sunday.
Washington Post and NBC News identified Erickson as the person of interest in Saturday's shooting in which two were killed and nine were injured. Earlier, the police had described him as a male "in his 30s wearing black clothes”. He was taken into custody early on Sunday morning at 3:45 a.m. from a hotel in Rhode Island.
The Providence Police Department has not officially confirmed the identity of the suspect in Saturday's shooting at Brown University. NBC News reported that, as of now, only the person of interest's name is known, and further details are being investigated. Erickson is yet to be officially identified as the suspect.
A connection between Erickson and Brown University is also being probed by the PD and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
What We Know About Benjamin Erickson
NBC News reported that sources tell them that Benjamin Erikson may have had a history of mental illness, which is now being investigated. "Authorities are looking into what might be an extensive mental health history for Erickson, the sources said," the NBC News report noted.
Meanwhile, the Washington Post reported that Erickson is a resident of Wisconsin. WaPo said citing public records that he may have lived in an apartment on Southwest Waterfront in Washington D.C.
Also read: Benjamin Erickson: Brown University suspect's alleged photos, social media profiles surface
The US Army confirmed that he was former US Army cyber officer who graduated from the University of Wisconsin, Maddison. “Benjamin W. Erickson was an Infantryman (11B) in the Regular Army from May 2021 to November 2024. He has no deployments and left the Army in the rank of specialist,” an US Army spokesperson said.
FBI director Kash Patel confirmed on Sunday that Erickson was tracked down using the geolocation of his phone. Two handguns and two loaded 30-round magazines were found in his possession when the Providence PD and the FBI nabbed him earlier on Sunday.
