Person of interest detained after deadly shooting at Brown University — but very little has been shared about the individual (UPDATE)

UPDATE: 6:13 p.m. ET: The person of interest in connection with the deadly Brown University shooting is 24-year-old Benjamin Erickson, NBC News said, citing three senior law enforcement officials who were briefed on the investigation.

Erickson was an Army infantryman from May 2021 to November 2024, the news network said, citing Army spokesperson Lt. Col. Ruth Castro, who added that "he has no deployments and left the Army in the rank of specialist."

Initial public records searches do not indicate Erickson had a criminal record, NBC News also said, adding that officials are looking into a possible extensive mental health history for him.

Public records indicate Erickson's residence as of 2024 was a Washington, D.C., apartment, and that he previously lived in Wisconsin, the news network noted.

Original story below

A person of interest has been detained in connection with Saturday's deadly shooting at Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island, the Associated Press reported.

However, the outlet added that "key questions remained unanswered" following the attack that killed two students and wounded nine others at the Ivy League campus during final exams.

'Everybody’s reeling, and we have a lot of recovery ahead of us.'

Col. Oscar Perez, chief of the Providence police, said Sunday afternoon that the person in custody is in the 20s age range and that no one has been charged yet, the AP reported. Perez earlier said the person is in the 30s age range and that no one else was being sought; Perez declined to say if the detained person had any connection to Brown, the outlet noted.

The New York Times reported Saturday that the shooter was described as a man dressed in black. Police released surveillance video late Saturday night that they said showed the person of interest. The AP said the individual in the clip was walking from the scene of the shooting.

RELATED: At least 2 killed, more wounded in shooting at Brown University

The person of interest was taken into custody at a Hampton Inn hotel in Coventry, Rhode Island, which is about 20 miles from Providence, the AP said, adding that police officers and FBI agents remained there Sunday, blocking off a hallway with crime scene tape while searching the area.

College President Christina Paxson told the AP that one of the nine wounded students had been released from the hospital while seven others were in critical but stable condition and one was in critical condition.

Investigators told the AP they weren't immediately sure how the shooter got into the first-floor classroom in the Barus & Holley building, a seven-story complex that houses the School of Engineering and the physics department.

Providence Mayor Brett Smiley said the building's outer doors were unlocked, but rooms reserved for final exams required badge access, the AP added.

More from the AP:

The gunman opened fire inside a classroom in the engineering building, firing more than 40 rounds from a 9 mm handgun, a law enforcement official told The Associated Press. As of Sunday morning, authorities had not recovered a firearm but did find two loaded 30-round magazines, the official said. The official was not authorized to discuss the investigation publicly and spoke to AP on the condition of anonymity.

Brown canceled all remaining classes, exams, papers, and projects for the semester, the AP said, and told students they were free to leave campus.

RELATED: VIDEO: 3 dead, multiple victims injured in North Carolina mass shooting; suspect reportedly flees by boat

Paxson teared up while describing her conversations with students both on campus and in the hospital, the AP said: “They are amazing, and they’re supporting each other. There’s just a lot of gratitude.”

“Everybody’s reeling, and we have a lot of recovery ahead of us,” she added, according to the AP. “Our community’s strong and we’ll get through it, but it’s devastating.”

This is a developing story; updates may be added.

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