A chilling scene unfolded at Brown University on Saturday, shattering the calm of final exams with a horrific act of violence. Two students lost their lives, and at least nine others were injured in a mass shooting that began within the classroom of a Jewish professor.
Initial reports of a suspect in custody proved tragically premature. University officials later corrected their statement, confirming the shooter remained at large, intensifying the fear and uncertainty gripping the campus and surrounding community.
Law enforcement quickly focused on a person of interest: a 24-year-old named Benjamin Erickson, originally from Wisconsin and recently arrived in Rhode Island. Authorities are meticulously examining Erickson’s extensive mental health history as they piece together the events leading up to the attack.
The breakthrough came early Sunday morning. Erickson was apprehended at a Hampton Inn in Coventry at 3:45 A.M., bringing a tense overnight search to an end. Recovered from the hotel room were a revolver and a small Glock handgun.
Investigators discovered a unique characteristic on one of the firearms, a detail that ultimately linked it to the suspect. This crucial piece of evidence solidified the connection between Erickson and the devastating shooting.
Eyewitness accounts suggest the shooter uttered something before unleashing the violence. Some reported hearing a phrase in Arabic, prompting further investigation into the motive behind the attack and any potential ideological influences.
Hours after the shooting, a shelter-in-place directive remained in effect, casting a pall of fear over the Brown University area. Students finally began to evacuate the campus at 8:45 pm ET, many visibly shaken and traumatized.
Police released footage of the suspected gunman, captured on a cell phone camera. The grainy images show a figure calmly walking away from the scene, offering little in the way of identifiable features. The search for answers, and understanding, continues.
