Ben Bertolucci

Damn I don't believe this! I almost got the story!

Ben Bertolucci was a reporter in Raccoon City prior to its destruction. He was quite interested in the less laudable dealings of the RPD management.

He is briefly seen in Resident Evil: The Darkside Chronicles, murdered by the mutated Birkin just as Leon, Claire and Ada first enter the Garage area, the information he had gathered written on the walls.

During the outbreak
Before the outbreak, Ben had checked himself into the Apple Inn. He went outside at some point, leaving behind his passport and a book listing possible news stories.

He then went to the South Raccoon Street Station, a Subway station. Aware that Ben had found out about his bribes from Umbrella, Chief Irons had police arrest him.

A ticket pass in his name was in the East Concourse, whilst a briefcase with the initials "BB" found in the East Entrance may have also been "Ben Bertolucci". The two locations may suggest he was running from the Police. A gun in the briefcase suggests he was preparing to defend himself, though if from zombies or Umbrella cannot be deciphered.

By the evening of the 27th or 28th, there were only 13 living people in the Police Station, including himself. After an attempt to evacuate surviving officers ended in only 4 escaping, Ben seemed to have let two prisoners nearby escape, choosing to stay in.

Officer Kevin Ryman and two other survivors of the outbreak took refuge in the police station. Ben provided them with an important crest in order for their escape, provided they delivered secret paperwork for him that he had lost along his way, detailing evidence of Irons' tax evasion.

After Leon met Ada Wong, she told him that she was looking for a reporter named Ben who locked himself in a jail cell, only to find that a truck was blocking the entrance to the cell room. With Leon's help, the two were able to find Ben locked up in a cell. Although he refused to come out, Ben offered crucial information to Leon and Ada and told them a way out of the city by going through the city sewers. He was later attacked by William Birkin, an Umbrella scientist infected with G-virus. He managed to survive long enough to tell Leon of Irons' corruption. He died just after finishing his sentence.

Trivia

 * Ben appears in Resident Evil: The Darkside Chronicles, however, he is already killed by William Birkin before Leon, Ada, and Claire get to meet him.
 * Ben's notebook can also be found in Resident Evil Outbreak in the Apple Inn in room 104 as a special item.
 * Ben is a playable NPC, who can be purchased for 3000 points in Outbreak File #2. He is, a David-type player and is equipped with the same toolbelt and equipment as him. His Extra Item is a single Green Herb. To unlock the ability to purchase him, the player must give him a roll of film found in the Desperate Times scenario. It doesn't matter which film however.
 * He is the only character to swear in Resident Evil 2.
 * Ben states that he knows Alyssa Ashcroft, it's likely that the two work together because they are both reporters, but Alyssa never mentions him so it is unknown if she knows him or not.