# 12/13/25: Shooting near Brown University in Providence, RI **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Tags:** breaking-news\ **Created:** [December 13, 2025, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/12-13-25-shooting-near-brown-university-in-providence-ri/1025677 "2025-12-13T22:57:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2025, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/12-13-25-shooting-near-brown-university-in-providence-ri/1025677/21 "2025-12-14T19:25:02Z")
It’ll be even better news if it turns out they got the right perp. Not that I have specific concerns they don’t, but early policework is often wrong policework. Not because they’re evil or incompetent, but just because it’s a difficult problem to correctly select the right needle out of the haystack of the total populace and then go find that person. Who almost always most definitely does _not_ want to be found. Kohberger was not the first person arrested, nor the first suspect publicized, after the infamous Idaho collegiate stabbings. ---
**Author:** ![ASL\_v2.0](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asl_v2.0/32/3525_2.png) [@ASL\_v2.0](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ASL_v2.0)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2025, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/12-13-25-shooting-near-brown-university-in-providence-ri/1025677/22 "2025-12-15T00:54:02Z")
The person of interest has now been identitied. > **[Person of interest in Brown University shooting served in Army, worked at...](https://www.cnn.com/2025/12/14/us/benjamin-erickson-brown-university-shooting)** > > 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... Reads like (1) he \*served in the US Army, but doing ceremonial duties that didn’t have him deploying anywhere and (2) he may have been enrolled at Brown this semester. I say “may have been” because it’s pretty clear he was planning to attend Brown this semester, but unclear whether he actually started studying there and if he was still enrolled. Still no mention of a possible motive. \*But so far, he does not necessarily seem to have been the sort of trainwreck that I have been accustomed to reading about doing this sort of thing (that is, he does not seem to have had extensive disciplinary problems since he got the Good Conduct Medal and made it to E4 and, based on the details provided, I would infer that he probably finished his enlistment). ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2025, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/12-13-25-shooting-near-brown-university-in-providence-ri/1025677/23 "2025-12-15T03:09:06Z")
That’s true, and I always think of Richard Jewell whenever a perp’s identity isn’t cut-and-dried. I also read that, at least in the auditorium in the building where it happened, most of the people were there for a review session, and not necessarily a test. ---
**Author:** ![Ellecram](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellecram/32/18948_2.png) [@Ellecram](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellecram)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2025, 4:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/12-13-25-shooting-near-brown-university-in-providence-ri/1025677/24 "2025-12-15T04:05:29Z")
News conference right now indicating they are releasing the person of interest they initially reported earlier today. Crazy turn of events. They announced that they are looking for new, additional video evidence. ---
**Author:** ![ASL\_v2.0](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asl_v2.0/32/3525_2.png) [@ASL\_v2.0](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ASL_v2.0)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2025, 4:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/12-13-25-shooting-near-brown-university-in-providence-ri/1025677/25 "2025-12-15T04:45:19Z")
Well, damn… ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2025, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/12-13-25-shooting-near-brown-university-in-providence-ri/1025677/26 "2025-12-16T00:26:07Z")
There’s some chatter on X that one of the victims, Ella Cook, was targeted because she was a devout Christian and the head of Brown’s chapter of College Republicans. I wonder how anyone would know that. (For that matter, there are probably people who think the other victim was targeted for being Uzbek, and presumably Muslim.) > **['A bright light': Brown University students identified as victims in campus...](https://abcnews.go.com/US/bright-light-brown-university-student-identified-shooting-victim/story?id=128403441)** > > One of the victims killed in Saturday’s shooting at Brown University has been identified as Ella Cook. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2025, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/12-13-25-shooting-near-brown-university-in-providence-ri/1025677/27 "2025-12-16T00:49:29Z")
If the RW propaganda team is playing the victim card here, I’ll take the bet they’re lying and wrong all day. Substantially all domestic terrorism is RW. Has been for 40+ years. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2025, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/12-13-25-shooting-near-brown-university-in-providence-ri/1025677/28 "2025-12-16T02:40:18Z")
I’m not on X, but the tweet I saw was linked on another website, and had more than 600 responses. I was almost tempted to get an X account just to read them, and decided I had better things to do with my time and electricity. ---
**Author:** ![Eric1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/3bc359/32.png) [@Eric1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eric1)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2025, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/12-13-25-shooting-near-brown-university-in-providence-ri/1025677/29 "2025-12-16T20:19:50Z")
The radio said they just released a photo of the shooter with a $50, 000 reward. I hope they catch the depraved wretch. ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2025, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/12-13-25-shooting-near-brown-university-in-providence-ri/1025677/30 "2025-12-16T22:04:27Z")
Photo (video): [https://www.cnn.com/us/live-news/brown-university-shooting-12-16-25](https://www.cnn.com/us/live-news/brown-university-shooting-12-16-25) ---
**Author:** ![excavating\_for\_a\_mind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e8c25b/32.png) [@excavating\_for\_a\_mind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/excavating_for_a_mind)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2025, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/12-13-25-shooting-near-brown-university-in-providence-ri/1025677/31 "2025-12-16T23:50:46Z")
I just saw a clip with Trump answering questions. He was asked why the FBI hasn’t been involved much. He spoke some blather about how they had their own police dept and security, so it’s all on them. He then mentioned how quickly the FBI nabbed the shooter in the Kirk shooting. The Kirk shooting was also on a university campus (Utah Valley University). So, what is different? Why isn’t the FBI involved? ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2025, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/12-13-25-shooting-near-brown-university-in-providence-ri/1025677/32 "2025-12-16T23:57:30Z")
Um, wasn’t the Kirk shooting solved by the shooter’s family? ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2025, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/12-13-25-shooting-near-brown-university-in-providence-ri/1025677/33 "2025-12-17T00:16:41Z")
I was starting to wonder if the suspect hasn’t been caught because everyone’s looking for a man, and it was actually done by a woman, but upon seeing that belly, yeah, I don’t think a pregnant woman would do something like this, but anything’s possible, I guess. I also have a strong feeling that the person died by their own hand shortly afterwards. Time will tell. ---
**Author:** ![excavating\_for\_a\_mind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e8c25b/32.png) [@excavating\_for\_a\_mind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/excavating_for_a_mind)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2025, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/12-13-25-shooting-near-brown-university-in-providence-ri/1025677/34 "2025-12-17T00:17:04Z")
I think you’re right. At least, they were big help. But, didn’t Kash show up less than a day? Didn’t they report the texts. But, in RI, it’s been two days and … ---
**Author:** ![PastTense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pasttense/32/14550_2.png) [@PastTense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastTense)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2025, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/12-13-25-shooting-near-brown-university-in-providence-ri/1025677/35 "2025-12-17T00:38:21Z")
> [@excavating\_for\_a\_mind](#): > > Why isn’t the FBI involved? Huh? It is my understanding that the FBI came up with the Wisconsin guy early Sunday morning and told the other police agencies that they were sure it was him so the other agencies quit looking for anyone else. Then the ballistics tests and other information came in which cleared the Wisconsin guy so he was released late Sunday night leaving almost a 24 hour period where other suspects were not looked at. ---
**Author:** ![excavating\_for\_a\_mind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e8c25b/32.png) [@excavating\_for\_a\_mind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/excavating_for_a_mind)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2025, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/12-13-25-shooting-near-brown-university-in-providence-ri/1025677/36 "2025-12-17T01:16:16Z")
Thanks, I did not know that. Makes sense. But I was just wondering as I was watching the press conference and he wasn’t there. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2025, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/12-13-25-shooting-near-brown-university-in-providence-ri/1025677/37 "2025-12-17T02:13:33Z")
> [@nearwildheaven](#): > > I also have a strong feeling that the person died by their own hand shortly afterwards. Time will tell. Why would you think that? ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2025, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/12-13-25-shooting-near-brown-university-in-providence-ri/1025677/38 "2025-12-17T03:28:11Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > Why would you think that? Well, I think it might also be true as well, if only because a lot of these mass shooters end up dead by suicide. I have this image of someone finding the body dead in an apartment near campus in a couple of weeks. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2025, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/12-13-25-shooting-near-brown-university-in-providence-ri/1025677/39 "2025-12-17T03:41:27Z")
Hmm. IANA expert, but except for the ones killed by police during the assault my impression is that very few kill themselves. Some certainly are looking for “suicide by cop” as their final FU to society. But if that doesn’t work out as hoped for, they just turn into fugitives. ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2025, 4:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/12-13-25-shooting-near-brown-university-in-providence-ri/1025677/40 "2025-12-17T04:20:00Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > IANA expert, but except for the ones killed by police during the assault my impression is that very few kill themselves. I have the opposite impression. I’m not going to go searching for the many examples, but just off the top of my head the infamous Columbine shooters killed themselves, as did the Sandy Hook school shooter. Whether that was their original intention is open to debate, but it typically happens after police swarm the place and they see no hope of escape. Granted that this situation is different as the perp got away. So in this case I agree with your skepticism as he obviously wasn’t planning suicide. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/12-13-25-shooting-near-brown-university-in-providence-ri/1025677.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/12-13-25-shooting-near-brown-university-in-providence-ri/1025677.md?page=3)