rhode island shooting: Shooter kills ex-wife and son at Pawtucket ice rink, police say
Police say a gunman opened fire at a youth hockey game Monday afternoon (ET) in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, killing his ex-wife and an adult son, wounding three other people and then fatally shooting himself. Authorities have described the attack as a targeted family dispute while the investigation continues.
Attack at a youth hockey game
The shooting occurred at the Dennis M. Lynch Arena during a game for the Blackstone Valley Schools co-op program. Video captured during the event recorded multiple gunshots, an 11-second pause as spectators scrambled toward exits, and a final single shot. Several bystanders attempted to intervene as the gunman fired, police said.
Police identified the shooter as Robert Dorgan. He died at the scene from a self-inflicted gunshot wound after officers say he produced a second firearm. Investigators recovered two handguns at the arena: a Glock 10 millimeter and a SIG Sauer P226.
Victims included Rhonda Dorgan, who died at the arena, and her son Aidan Dorgan, who died later at a hospital. Three others were critically injured and remain hospitalized: the couple’s elderly parents, Linda and Gerald Dorgan, both 75, and Thomas Geruso, 54, who worked as an assistant principal at a local high school. A younger brother who was at the game was not injured.
Police describe a ‘very targeted’ family dispute
Pawtucket Police Chief Tina Goncalves said during a press briefing Tuesday (ET) that the shooting appeared to be a focused family attack and that investigators had found no evidence of a confrontation or escalating argument at the rink before the violence began. The chief emphasized that it did not appear there had been any advance warning of violence and noted the shooter had attended hockey games at the arena in the past without incident.
Police also said Dorgan had a carry permit issued in Florida. Investigators have been examining court and town records, statements from family members and other evidence to build a timeline of the suspect’s movements and relationships in the weeks and months leading up to the attack. Records show Dorgan previously lived at the family home in North Providence and that his voter registration there was canceled in 2022.
Background, family dynamics and ongoing questions
Court filings and interviews paint a picture of a long, complicated marriage and a bitter divorce. After 28 years of marriage, Rhonda Dorgan filed for divorce in February 2020; the divorce was finalized in June 2021. In the initial divorce filing she listed gender reassignment surgery and personality issues as grounds, then crossed that out and changed the grounds to irreconcilable differences.
The shooter was described as transgender and also used the names Roberta Dorgan and Roberta Esposito. A daughter, Ava Dorgan, 20, said Tuesday that her mother and older brother were killed and that her maternal grandparents and a friend were critically injured. She said the family had grown distant in recent years and that she did not know her father owned firearms.
Investigators have not yet obtained medical records and the chief said questions about mental health or medication remain unanswered. Authorities continue to review physical evidence, witness statements and surveillance footage as the probe moves forward.
Community leaders and school officials are coordinating support for families and witnesses affected by the shooting. Local officials are urging anyone with information to come forward to aid the investigation as authorities work to determine what prompted the deadly attack at a place meant for youth recreation and community gatherings.
