A person of interest has been detained in connection with a shooting at Brown University in the US which left two people dead, police said.

Nine others were injured after a gunman opened fire at the university in Providence, Rhode Island, on Saturday.

Police said the detained suspect was in his 20s, and he was later named by US media outlets as Benjamin Erickson.

Providence Mayor Brett Smiley said seven people who were injured in the incident remained in a stable condition, one of them is in critical condition, and another was discharged.

The gunman opened fire in a classroom at around 16:00 local time (21:00 GMT) on Saturday at the Holley engineering building at the eastern end of Brown’s campus, according to officials.

The identities of those killed and most of the injured have not yet been released, but Brown University President Christina Paxson told reporters on Saturday that all the victims, including those killed and wounded, were students.

In an email to staff on Sunday, the head of Durham Academy, a private school in North Carolina, said one of their alumna, Kendall Turner, was injured in the attack, US media reported.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with Kendall, her family, and all members of the Brown University community during this incredibly difficult time,” said Michael Ulku-Steiner.

In a statement released by the university on Sunday, Paxson said some areas of campus were still restricted as police continued their investigations.

Around 2,000 students were relocated to safe locations overnight, she said, adding that she was “deeply moved” by students and locals who opened up their homes.

Paxson said the families of the two students killed were being supported.

“There are not enough words of comfort for families who lose a child, but we will do all we can,” she added.

In a news conference on Sunday, Smiley said an earlier order for residents to shelter had now been lifted.

The mayor said he had met with victims and their families in the hospital and was “overwhelmed” by their “courage, hope, and gratitude”.

A vigil will be held on Sunday evening for the community.

Police had earlier released CCTV footage of a male suspect walking away from the scene wearing all black clothing. Officers said a firearm was not found in a sweep of the building.

In a post on X, FBI director Kash Patel said the suspect was detained at a hotel in Coventry, in the early hours of Sunday morning based on a lead from Providence Police.

Providence Police Chief Oscar Perez confirmed on Sunday that officers were not looking for anyone else and were working with prosecutors to collect evidence.

Hundreds of police officers and federal agents were sent to Providence on Saturday to find the suspect.

Speaking at the White House, President Trump said he hoped the nine injured students “get well fast” and paid respects to the families of the two people who died.

The attack on the Ivy League university brings the number of mass shootings to 389 in the US for this year, according to the Gun Violence Archive.

It defines mass shootings as having four or more victims killed or injured, not including the attacker.