Crime
FBI released Benjamin Erickson from custody
UPDATE: Providence, Rhode Island Mayor Brett Smiley says law enforcement will release the person of interest in Brown University mass shooting, who was detained earlier Sunday morning. The gunman remains at large.
Benjamin Warren Erickson, the individual previously detained as a person of interest in the deadly shooting at Brown University, has been released by law enforcement, according to city and state officials.
Authorities emphasized that Erickson is not involved in the attack and that the investigation has shifted in a different direction.
Providence Mayor Brett Smiley confirmed the release, while Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Neronha explained that investigators initially followed leads that appeared to point to Erickson but later determined those leads were incorrect.
“Sometimes you head in one direction and then you have to regroup and go in another,” Neronha said. He added that the evidence now points elsewhere, and acknowledged the harm caused by the premature public identification of Erickson.
“It was really unfortunate that this person’s name was leaked to the public. It’s hard to put that back into the bottle,” the attorney general said.
Officials reiterated that the gunman remains at large, and no arrests have been made in connection with the shooting.
MT. JULIET, Tenn. — Authorities have identified two victims killed during an active shooter incident at Cedar Creek Marina in Mt. Juliet late Friday night.
The suspect, identified as Gary Haley, a convicted felon with an extensive criminal history, is deceased following an officer-involved shooting, officials confirmed.
Mount Juliet Police officers were dispatched at approximately 9:30 p.m. Friday to the Cedar Creek Marina, located in the 9000 block of Saundersville Road, after receiving reports of a man threatening another individual on the docks.
Due to the active shooter report, a shelter-in-place order was issued for the surrounding area as a precaution.
Upon arrival, officers located an adult male suffering from a gunshot wound.
The victim was later identified as Robby Brogdon, who was transported to a local hospital for emergency medical treatment.
Despite life-saving efforts, Brogdon later succumbed to his injuries.
Investigators determined that the suspected shooter had retreated to a boat within the marina and had barricaded himself inside.
The standoff continued for several hours as officers secured the scene and attempted to resolve the situation safely.
At approximately 1:00 a.m. Saturday, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) reported that the suspect engaged responding officers and fired shots at them under circumstances that remain under investigation. Officers returned fire.
The suspect, Gary Haley, was later found deceased aboard the vessel.
During the course of the response, officers also discovered a second adult male victim, Nathan Jones, who had been shot by the suspect.
Jones was pronounced dead at the scene.
No law enforcement officers were injured during the incident.
The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation has assumed responsibility for the investigation, which includes a homicide, an attempted homicide, and an officer-involved shooting.
TBI agents are actively conducting interviews, collecting evidence, and working to establish a comprehensive timeline of events.
Upon completion of the investigation, findings will be submitted to 15th Judicial District Attorney General Jason Lawson for review.
Authorities stated that additional information will be released as it becomes available.