The individual of interest detained in reference to the Brown University shooting, recognized by regulation enforcement sources as Benjamin Erickson, is a adorned soldier who had served in a place at Arlington National Cemetery, based on his LinkedIn profile.
Erickson, a 24-year-old Wisconsin native, served as an infantry soldier in the US Army, the place he handed sniper coaching, had expertise with firearms instruction and had served as a rifleman between 2021 and 2024, based on the profile.
Erickson additionally obtained a very good conduct medal, participated in “security duties” close to the president and assisted with funeral ceremonies at Arlington, the profile said.
The LinkedIn web page said he deliberate to proceed his faculty schooling at Brown University in the autumn 2025 semester.
A spokesperson for the US Army mentioned Erickson had no deployments and left final 12 months with the rank of specialist. Brown University didn’t instantly reply to questions on Erickson’s report.
Authorities mentioned the individual of interest was not a present scholar at Brown, however regulation enforcement sources indicated to NCS that he might need been just lately enrolled.
Erickson took on-line lessons with a deal with psychology at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee after graduating from highschool in July 2020, after which transferred to Brown for this fall semester after his navy service ended, based on the profile, which famous a range of pursuits together with animal welfare, veteran help and serving to the poor.
The profile additional famous that he had interned as a carpenter and helped out at a horse rescue middle.
A employees member at the rescue, the Gentle Giants Draft Horse Rescue in Maryland, informed NCS that Erickson was half of an Army unit that realized horse dealing with methods at the rescue middle between 2023 and 2024. Erickson was coaching with the Caisson Detachment of the US Army’s 3d US Infantry Regiment, the employees member mentioned – a unit that gives escorts for navy and state funerals.
A highschool yearbook included a photograph of Erickson on his faculty’s wrestling workforce. 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 highschool classmates, Bryce Jankowski, mentioned he just lately exchanged texts with Erickson, who mentioned he was learning at Brown.
“He said he was doing good,” Jankowski mentioned. “He said he was living at a hotel because his apartment flooded,” although he mentioned that didn’t appear to trouble him.
Jankowski described Erickson as a well-behaved, sensible particular person. He didn’t recall Erickson making any regarding statements, harboring extremist views or having any behavioral challenges. “He was wicked smart.”
After highschool, he mentioned Erickson had informed him that he was in sniper faculty with the US navy.
A former wrestling teammate from highschool, who requested to not be quoted by identify, 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, NCS noticed the FBI at a Wisconsin residence owned by Erickson’s household.
A search of court docket databases confirmed no clear felony historical past for Erickson apart from a 2023 case in which he was cited for driving on a sidewalk, a cost that was dismissed.
NCS’s Bill Kirkos, Thomas Bordeaux and Jeff Winter contributed to this report.