New details emerged in the shooting at a high school hockey game in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, which ended in tragedy Monday afternoon when a gunman opened fire inside the Dennis M. Lynch Arena, killing two people and critically injuring three others before taking his own life, authorities said.
Police were dispatched to the arena around 2:30 p.m. after reports of an active shooter during a senior night matchup featuring teams from Blackstone Valley Schools and Coventry-Johnston. When officers arrived, they found one victim dead inside the rink; a second later died at a hospital. The three additional victims were transported in critical condition with gunshot wounds.
Pawtucket Police Chief Tina Goncalves identified the suspect as Robert Dorgan, 56, who she said also used the name Roberta and the last name Esposito. According to police, Dorgan had come to the arena to watch a relative play. A federal law enforcement source described the shooting as a domestic violence incident, stating that the gunman killed his wife and shot three of his children before dying at the scene from what investigators described as a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Goncalves said the violence was a “targeted” act tied to a family conflict. Chief Goncalves credited a bystander with preventing further bloodshed. “A Good Samaritan stepped in and interjected in this scene, and that’s probably what led to a swift end of this tragic event,” she said, noting the individual attempted to subdue the shooter.
The game, which was being livestreamed, captured the chaos. Though the gunfire itself was not visible on the wide-angle video, roughly a dozen shots can be heard. Spectators fled the stands while players ducked for cover before rushing off the ice as the shooting continued. The streaming platform later restricted access to the footage.
Court records cited by local outlet WPRI-TV indicate Dorgan had a history of family disputes, including tensions related to gender identity. Documents show he previously reported undergoing gender-reassignment surgery and claimed it had caused conflict within the family. Divorce filings from 2021 initially referenced “gender reassignment surgery, narcissistic + personality disorder traits” before being amended to “irreconcilable differences.” At the time, records listed him as a Florida-based truck driver.
Mayor Donald Grebien called the shooting “a terrible tragedy,” saying what should have been a celebration instead became a scene of fear and loss. “Pawtucket is a strong and resilient community, but tonight we are a city in mourning,” he said, pledging support for affected families and cooperation with state investigators.
Schools involved in the matchup confirmed their students were safe. Coventry Public Schools Superintendent Don Cowart said all Coventry players were accounted for, while Providence Country Day School and St. Raphael Academy also reported their students were unharmed. In response to the incident, the Rhode Island Interscholastic League announced it would temporarily halt all interscholastic games. “During this extremely difficult time, the RIIL has made the decision to temporarily suspend all interscholastic games out of respect for the victims and to reflect upon this senseless act of violence.”
Federal agents from the ATF and FBI assisted local and state authorities at the scene. Investigators recovered multiple firearms, though officials have not released details about the weapons.
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