Police Identify Suspect in Shooting at Rhode Island High School Hockey Game
A youth hockey game in Pawtucket turned deadly Monday afternoon when gunfire erupted inside the Dennis M. Lynch Arena, leaving three people dead and three others fighting for their lives.
Police say the suspected gunman, identified as Robert Dorgan, who also used the name Roberta and the surname Esposito, died from what authorities described as a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Pawtucket Police Chief Tina Goncalves said investigators believe the shooting was a targeted act tied to a family dispute.
The violence broke out around 2:30 p.m. as teams prepared to play. Players were on the ice when shots rang out, sending them scrambling toward locker rooms while families rushed for exits. The game was being livestreamed when the chaos unfolded.
Authorities confirmed two adult victims were shot and killed, one inside the arena and another who later died at a hospital. Three more people remain hospitalized in critical condition.
Goncalves said a bystander intervened during the shooting. A “good Samaritan stepped in and interjected in this scene, and that’s probably what led to a swift end of this tragic event.”
Several schools were represented at the game, including a cooperative team made up of students from multiple districts. School officials later confirmed their students were safe and accounted for.
The suspect’s past included family issues and legal disputes. Court records show prior allegations of threats and intimidation involving in-laws, as well as a contentious divorce finalized in 2021. Some earlier criminal charges connected to family members were later dismissed.
At a late-night press conference, Mayor Donald Grebien said investigators had already spoken to about 100 people and asked for patience as the case unfolds. Police are also urging anyone who was at the arena to share videos or information.
Rhode Island Governor Dan McKee also addressed the tragedy, noting that the state is still reeling from a deadly shooting at Brown University in December. "Our state is grieving again," McKee said. "As governor, a parent and a former coach, my heart breaks for the victims, families and everyone impacted by the devastating shooting at Lynch Arena in Pawtucket."
The Rhode Island Coalition Against Domestic Violence called the incident “deeply painful” and said, “While details are still emerging, we know that violence within families and intimate relationships can have devastating and far-reaching impacts. Domestic violence does not stay behind closed doors. It affects children, extended family members, and entire communities.”
As investigators work to piece together what led to the shooting, a community that had gathered for a high school hockey game is now left grieving.
