New details emerge on how investigators tracked the suspect in the Brown University shooting as well as out-of-state ties

Sunday, December 14, 2025•
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MDN Staff
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New details emerge on how investigators tracked the suspect in the Brown University shooting as well as out-of-state ties

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[5:07PM] Editor’s note: Authorities have identified the person of interest in the shooting at Brown University as 24-year-old Benjamin Erickson of Wisconsin. He has not been formally charged, and officials say the investigation remains ongoing.

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PROVIDENCE, R.I. — New details are coming into focus in the investigation of the deadly shooting at Brown University, including information about the suspect’s ties to Wisconsin and a firearm recovered with a laser sight attached.

According to reporting cited by CNN, investigators believe the suspect has connections to Wisconsin and had recently traveled to Rhode Island before the shooting. Law enforcement is now digging into his background, travel history, and any potential warning signs prior to the attack.

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The shooting occurred inside the Barus & Holley engineering building, a central academic facility used for classes, labs, and student workspaces. It happened during finals period, when the building was busy with students studying and attending exams.

Police say the suspect fled the Providence campus shortly after opening fire, triggering a shelter-in-place order as students barricaded themselves inside classrooms and dorms. A large multi-agency search followed.

Using cellphone tracking and other digital evidence, authorities located a person of interest at a hotel in Coventry, Rhode Island, roughly 20 miles from campus. He was taken into custody without incident several hours later.

During a search of the hotel room, law enforcement recovered multiple firearms. One of the guns was a handgun equipped with a laser sight — a detail investigators described as significant. Officials have not confirmed whether that specific weapon was used in the shooting, but it is being closely examined as part of the ongoing investigation.

Despite Brown’s extensive campus security camera network, investigators did not immediately release a clear image of the suspect inside the engineering building. The delay has raised questions from students and parents about surveillance coverage and how the suspect was able to enter, open fire, and leave the building before being identified.

Authorities have not released the suspect’s name, announced formal charges, or identified a motive. Federal and local agencies continue reviewing surveillance footage, digital records, and witness statements as the investigation remains active.

Classes and exams were canceled as counselors were brought in to support students, leaving the Ivy League campus grappling with the aftermath of one of the most serious acts of campus gun violence in recent years.

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New details emerge on how investigators tracked the suspect in the Brown University shooting as well as out-of-state ties - Mass Daily News