Police have detained a 24-year-old man in connection with the deadly attack on the Ivy League campus, as the university takes the unprecedented step of cancelling all final exams.
A “massive manhunt” for the gunman who killed two students at Brown University has ended with a person of interest in custody, officials confirmed Monday (15 December). The suspect was picked up at a hotel in Coventry, Rhode Island, less than 24 hours after investigators released chilling surveillance footage of someone fleeing the scene.
The breakthrough came after Providence Police released grainy CCTV footage showing a man dressed entirely in black, possibly wearing a camouflage mask, walking calmly away from the Barus & Holley engineering building shortly after the shooting on Saturday. The footage went out widely on Sunday and proved crucial in tracking the suspect to a Hampton Inn about 20 miles from campus.
Law enforcement sources identified the person in custody as Benjamin W. Erickson, 24. A SWAT team hit the hotel in the early hours of Sunday, recovering a Glock handgun with a laser sight and a revolver from his room. While formal charges are still pending, police are calling him the primary “person of interest” in the attack.
The shooting happened during a final exam review session. Two students died, and nine others were injured. One victim remains in critical condition. In response to the tragedy, Brown University cancelled all remaining final exams for the fall semester and urged students to leave campus immediately to be with their families.
“Sadly, today is a day that the city of Providence and the state of Rhode Island prayed would never come,” said Providence Mayor Brett Smiley, confirming the casualties.
“I’m numb, but not surprised,” said sophomore Zoe Weissman, capturing the shock felt by students who spent hours sheltering in darkened dorms and labs while the manhunt played out.
The incident has reignited the debate over campus safety in the US. Investigators said that while the exterior doors to the engineering building were unlocked for exams, it’s still unclear how the gunman got access to the specific classrooms, which typically require badge entry. The attack marks one of the deadliest days in the university’s 261-year history.
With the campus still an active crime scene, questions are piling up about the motive. Police haven’t confirmed yet whether the suspect had any prior connection to the university. A vigil is planned for later this week, but for now, the streets of Providence are quiet as students clear out.
Also Read / National Guard Soldier Killed in DC Shooting.
Leave a comment