Brown University Student Survives Second Mass Shooting: A Tale of Trauma and Resilience
Mia Tretta, a 21-year-old student at Brown University, recently found herself in the midst of yet another active shooter situation. For most, the mere thought of being in such a terrifying situation is unimaginable, but for Mia, it was all too familiar. This was the second mass shooting she had survived, the first being in 2019 at Saugus High School in Santa Clarita, California. Back then, a 16-year-old boy opened fire, killing two of Mia's classmates, including her best friend, and leaving Mia with a bullet wound in her stomach. She spent over a week in the hospital recovering from her injuries, and though she's undergone multiple surgeries since, the scars—both physical and emotional—remain.
Mia had hoped that attending Brown University in Rhode Island would distance her from the trauma of that day, but her sense of security was shattered once again when she received an active shooter alert while studying for finals in her dorm. She told the BBC that this kind of violence doesn't care where it happens or who it affects—it can touch anyone, anywhere, at any time. The sense of innocence that many students take for granted was completely destroyed for Mia after the first shooting, and now, once again, she's left grappling with the fear, confusion, and anger that come with such an experience.
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As Mia reflected on her own trauma, she spoke about the larger issue at hand: gun violence in America. She believes that mass shootings should not be accepted as an inevitability, and she’s determined to keep pushing for change. Her generation, she said, has grown up preparing for such events, practicing active shooter drills in school, yet the reality of the situation still feels like something out of a nightmare.
On the same day of the Brown University shooting, Providence's Mayor Brett Smiley shared his thoughts with the public. He expressed relief that a person of interest, 24-year-old Benjamin Erickson, had been detained by police. Erickson was arrested in connection with the shooting that killed two people and injured nine others at Brown University’s Barus & Holley building. As of now, the investigation is ongoing, with authorities looking into Erickson’s background, including his military history. Erickson had served as an infantryman in the Army, but he had no deployments and left the service in 2024 as a specialist.
While there’s some hope that the arrest will bring closure, it’s hard to escape the grim reality that these incidents are becoming too frequent. A student who was hospitalized after the shooting even shared that the active shooter drills she had participated in back in high school helped her during the crisis. Mayor Smiley remarked that while it's heartening that the drills had prepared the students, it’s tragic that they are necessary in the first place.
This event has left the Brown University campus shaken, with students now confronting the harsh reality that the safety they once felt is no longer guaranteed. As the investigation unfolds, the city is left grappling with the question: How much longer can this be allowed to continue?
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