Three Dead, Including Shooter, in Rhode Island Hockey Rink Shooting
A shooting at a youth hockey game in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, on Monday resulted in three fatalities, including the shooter, and left three others hospitalized in critical condition, authorities said. The incident unfolded at the Dennis M. Lynch Arena, sending shockwaves through the local community.
Pawtucket Police Chief Tina Goncalves told reporters that a bystander intervened during the shooting, attempting to subdue the gunman who was present to watch a family member play. The shooter ultimately died from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound, according to police, who are continuing their investigation into the circumstances surrounding the event.
The shooter has been identified as Robert Dorgan, who also used the name Roberta Esposito, and was born in 1969. Police have identified the victims as Dorgan’s ex-wife and an adult son, both of whom were killed. The ex-wife’s parents and a family friend remain in critical condition as of Tuesday.
Authorities have indicated the shooting appears to have been a targeted event, potentially stemming from a family dispute. Chief Goncalves did not provide further details regarding the nature of the dispute, citing the ongoing investigation.
Witnesses at the scene described a chaotic scene as gunfire erupted during the hockey game. Bystanders immediately began assisting the injured, providing first aid until emergency responders arrived. Melissa Dunn, whose son was playing in the game, recounted seeing paramedics performing CPR in the stands after she located her son and rushed back inside the arena. “You don’t know what’s going on at first,” Dunn said. “You just hear the loud noises… we thought it was the kids banging on the board with their skates at first.” She described screaming for her son to take cover and the immediate concern for his safety.
Olin Lawrence, a high school hockey player who was on the ice when the shooting began, reported running to the locker room as shots rang out.
The shooting comes less than two months after another gun violence tragedy in Rhode Island, this time at Brown University. In December, a gunman killed two students and wounded nine others before fatally shooting a Massachusetts Institute of Technology professor and then taking his own life. Authorities discovered the gunman deceased from a self-inflicted gunshot wound at a storage facility in New Hampshire.
A vigil is planned for Tuesday night to honor the victims and support the community affected by the shooting.
Federal agents from the ATF and FBI responded to the scene to assist state and local law enforcement with the investigation.
