Providence, Rhode Island — The quiet of a final exam week at Brown University turned into chaos Saturday afternoon when gunfire erupted inside the Barus & Holley engineering building, leaving two students dead and nine others wounded. Law enforcement officials have since taken 24‑year‑old Benjamin Erickson into custody as a person of interest in the deadly attack that sent shockwaves through the Ivy League campus and beyond.
Around 4:05 p.m. EST on December 13, students gathered for a study session when the first shots rang out in Room 166 on the first floor of the sprawling engineering complex. Eyewitnesses described an armed man in dark clothing bursting into the room; the campus was immediately locked down as terrified students dove for cover. Brown’s Public Safety and Emergency Management issued an active shooter alert about ten minutes after the chaos began.
By nightfall, two students had been confirmed dead and nine others wounded — several critically — prompting an urgent response from hundreds of officers from local, state, and federal agencies. Streets around the Providence campus fell eerily silent as students sheltered in place for hours, some escorted by tactical teams to safety while others waited in darkened gyms or on buses, shaken and uncertain.
Authorities intensified their search through the evening, reviewing surveillance footage that showed a lone suspect leaving the scene calmly and walking away. By early Sunday morning, investigators had tracked the individual to a Hampton Inn in Coventry, roughly 15 miles from campus, using cellphone geolocation and public tips. There, officers took Benjamin Erickson into custody.
Officials recovered two firearms in Erickson’s possession at the hotel, including one equipped with a laser sight, though it has not yet been confirmed whether these weapons were used in the shooting. Providence Police Chief Oscar Perez declined to elaborate on Erickson’s connection to Brown University or disclose whether he has been formally charged. At this stage he is considered a person of interest in an ongoing investigation.
Community leaders and campus officials have expressed profound sorrow over the tragedy. Brown University President Christina H. Paxson called it an “unimaginable” loss, and local leaders lowered flags to half‑staff as vigils and counseling services were organized for students and families. In the wake of the attack, remaining exams were canceled and the university encouraged students to return home safely.
Survivors recount harrowing moments of shelter and escape, while authorities continue to piece together Erickson’s movements and possible motives. The investigation remains active, with officials promising transparency as the community begins the long process of healing after one of the darkest days in Brown University’s history.
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