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.
BLOOMINGTON, Ill. — A 19-year-old woman from Carol Stream, Illinois, identified as Giana Dettloff, was killed in a mass shooting in downtown Bloomington on Sunday, November 1, 2026. Eight additional people were injured in the gunfire, bringing the total number of victims to nine, according to authorities.
The shooting occurred in the 100 block of East Division Street, where Dettloff was pronounced dead at the scene. Police and emergency responders continued to investigate as officials worked to establish the full circumstances surrounding the incident.
According to McLean County Coroner Dr. Kathleen Yoder, Dettloff was found at the scene with fatal gunshot injuries and was pronounced dead in the 100 block of East Division Street.
A preliminary autopsy determined that she died from multiple gunshot wounds to the chest and pelvis. Toxicology testing remains pending, and additional findings may be released once the examination process is complete.
Dettloff, 19, was from Carol Stream, a community in the Chicago metropolitan area. Her death has added to the grief surrounding the shooting, which also left several other people injured.
Bloomington police later confirmed that another individual had been shot and sustained non-life-threatening injuries. This updated information brought the total number of shooting victims to nine, including Dettloff.
The victims reportedly range in age from 16 to 22. According to the information released about the incident, those injured and affected include students from various high schools and universities across Illinois.
The shooting has raised serious concern because of the young ages of those involved and the number of people affected. Authorities have not provided further individual details about the eight surviving victims in the information currently available.
Bloomington Police Chief Jamal Simington expressed condolences to Dettloff’s family and friends following her death. He also asked members of the community to respect the family’s privacy as they grieve and begin to cope with the loss.
The request for privacy comes as the investigation continues and the community reacts to the fatal violence in downtown Bloomington.
The Bloomington Police Department continues to investigate the shooting. Authorities are working to determine the circumstances surrounding the gunfire and establish a clearer account of what happened on East Division Street.
Further information about the incident may become available as investigators continue their work. No additional conclusions about the circumstances or responsibility for the shooting should be assumed until confirmed by authorities.
The death of 19-year-old Giana Dettloff represents a heartbreaking loss for her family, friends, and the Carol Stream community. Her life was cut short in a shooting that also injured eight other people, many of them young.
As the investigation continues, thoughts and condolences are with Dettloff’s loved ones and everyone affected by this tragedy. The community now awaits further answers about the violence that took place in downtown Bloomington.
May Giana Dettloff rest in peace.