Person of interest in Brown University shooting served in Army, worked at Arlington National Cemetery
Emergency personnel gather at Brown University in Providence
(CNN) — The person of interest detained in connection with the Brown University shooting, identified by law enforcement sources as Benjamin Erickson, is a decorated soldier who had served in a position at Arlington National Cemetery, according to his LinkedIn profile.
Erickson, a 24-year-old Wisconsin native, served as an infantry soldier in the US Army, where he passed sniper training, had experience with firearms instruction and had served as a rifleman between 2021 and 2024, according to the profile.
Erickson also received a good conduct medal, participated in “security duties” near the president and assisted with funeral ceremonies at Arlington, the profile stated.
The LinkedIn page stated he planned to continue his college education at Brown University in the fall 2025 semester.
A spokesperson for the US Army said Erickson had no deployments and left last year with the rank of specialist. Brown University did not immediately respond to questions about Erickson’s record.
Authorities said the person of interest was not a current student at Brown, but law enforcement sources indicated to CNN that he might have been recently enrolled.
Erickson took online classes with a focus on psychology at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee after graduating from high school in July 2020, and then transferred to Brown for this fall semester after his military service ended, according to the profile, which noted a variety of interests including animal welfare, veteran support and helping the poor.
The profile further noted that he had interned as a carpenter and helped out at a horse rescue center.
A staff member at the rescue, the Gentle Giants Draft Horse Rescue in Maryland, told CNN that Erickson was part of an Army unit that learned horse handling techniques at the rescue center between 2023 and 2024. Erickson was training with the Caisson Detachment of the US Army’s 3d US Infantry Regiment, the staff member said – a unit that provides escorts for military and state funerals.
A high school yearbook included a photo of Erickson on his school’s wrestling team. A profile on X that appeared to belong to Erickson posted in 2016 and 2017 about wrestling, music and political satire.
One of Erickson’s former high school classmates, Bryce Jankowski, said he recently exchanged texts with Erickson, who said he was studying at Brown.
“He said he was doing good,” Jankowski said. “He said he was living at a hotel because his apartment flooded,” though he said that did not seem to bother him.
Jankowski described Erickson as a well-behaved, smart individual. He did not recall Erickson making any concerning statements, harboring extremist views or having any behavioral challenges. “He was wicked smart.”
After high school, he said Erickson had told him that he was in sniper school with the US military.
A former wrestling teammate from high school, who asked not to be quoted by name, described Erickson as a “pretty nice guy, he was quiet… he becomes really outgoing when you get to know him, but he’s pretty quiet when you don’t.”
On Sunday afternoon, CNN observed the FBI at a Wisconsin home owned by Erickson’s family.
A search of court databases showed no clear criminal history for Erickson aside from a 2023 case in which he was cited for driving on a sidewalk, a charge that was dismissed.
CNN’s Bill Kirkos, Thomas Bordeaux and Jeff Winter contributed to this report.
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