A gunman dressed in black opened fire in a Brown University engineering building Saturday afternoon, killing two people and wounding nine others during a final exam review session. The attack, which occurred around 4:05 p.m. EST, sent students fleeing for safety as police swept the Providence campus.
Law enforcement officials have identified 24-year-old Benjamin Erickson of Wisconsin as a person of interest who allegedly traveled to Rhode Island specifically to carry out the shooting, according to preliminary investigation details. A search of his hotel room uncovered a revolver and a small Glock handgun equipped with a laser sight.
The violence erupted in Room 166 of the Barus and Holley Building during an introductory economics review session. Students described a chaotic scene as the assailant, whose face may have been concealed by a camouflage mask, entered the first-floor classroom and began firing.
“Preliminarily, uh, all we have is, uh, a suspect that was a male dressed in…” said a police officer in footage from the initial response, his statement trailing off amid the confusion of the unfolding crisis. Authorities later released video showing a man in dark clothing believed to be in his 30s.
Victims Fighting for Their Lives
Providence Mayor Brett Smiley confirmed the grim toll: two dead and nine injured, with at least eight of the victims being Brown students. The wounded were rushed to area hospitals, where their conditions varied dramatically.
As of midnight, one patient remained in critical condition, fighting for their life. Six others were listed as critical but stable, while two had been upgraded to stable condition. Medical teams worked through the night to treat victims of what marks one of the most severe acts of violence in the Ivy League university’s history.
Why target an economics review session? That question remains central to the investigation, as authorities have yet to announce a motive for the shooting.
The attack has devastated the close-knit Brown community, occurring during the high-stress final examination period when students were focused on completing their semester. Campus buildings were locked down for hours as tactical teams conducted room-by-room searches.
Investigation Continues
The manhunt and investigation stretched into Sunday as journalist Paul C. Kelly Campos of Ocean State Media reported ongoing police activity around campus. Authorities have established a dedicated tip line and are reviewing surveillance footage from multiple buildings.
Brown University has canceled all finals scheduled for Monday and Tuesday, with administrators planning to announce mental health resources and academic accommodations for traumatized students.
This marks the latest in a series of school shootings that continue to plague American educational institutions. For the Brown community — students, faculty, staff, and families — the violence has transformed what should have been the end of a semester into a moment of collective grief and questioning. As one student put it while being evacuated: “You never think it will happen here — until it does.”
