In the hours following a fatal shooting at Brown University in the United States, online speculation about the identity of the attacker spread rapidly across social media platforms. The incident, which occurred on 13 December during a final exam review session, left at least two students dead and nine others injured, prompting a campus-wide lockdown and a major law enforcement response.
As police continued their investigation, online users began circulating the name of a man detained in connection with the case, identifying him as Benjamin Erickson, a 24-year-old former US Army serviceman from Wisconsin. The speed with which the name spread raised concerns about misinformation and the risks of drawing conclusions before authorities had confirmed key details.
