The person of interest detained in connection with Saturday’s deadly shooting at Brown University in Rhode Island has been identified as 24-year-old Benjamin Erickson of Wisconsin, multiple law enforcement sources told CNN on Sunday.
On Sunday afternoon, CNN observed FBI agents at a Wisconsin home owned by Erickson’s family. Authorities have not publicly identified the person in custody.
One of the firearms recovered from the hotel room of the person detained was equipped with a laser sight, according to a law enforcement source with knowledge of the investigation. Witnesses described the shooter as having a laser sight on the gun. A laser sight is a device attached to a firearm that projects a beam to indicate where the bullet will strike.
It remains unclear what led police to the hotel in Coventry, Rhode Island. Sources said the investigation involved video evidence, tips from the public, license plate readers, and other methods.
Authorities confirmed the person of interest is not a Brown University student. Investigators are examining whether there was any past connection to the school, including the possibility of being a former student.
Police recovered two firearms from the hotel room. CNN previously reported the person in custody had two firearms in their possession when detained. The exact type of firearms has not yet been disclosed.
The shooting left two students dead and nine others injured at the Ivy League campus in Providence.