A twisted trans father shot his wife, three kids and a family friend in the stands at a high school hockey tournament in Rhode Island Monday — sending the crowd screaming and fleeing for the exits in a panic.
Two people were killed and three others are in critical condition at a hospital after the gunfire erupted at Lynch Arena in Pawtucket around 2:30 p.m., according to cops who described the incident as a targeted family dispute.
The shooter, identified as 56-year-old Robert Dorgan who also went by Roberta Esposito, died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound, police said.
Dorgan was the father of a senior at North Providence High School, one of the six schools participating in the co-op games, WPRI reported. He shot his son’s mother, their three children, and a family friend who were all spectating at the game, according to reports.
A young girl was killed and four other people were hospitalized after a gunman opened fire in the middle of a high school hockey game. AP
The mayor’s office said that authorities aren’t searching for any additional suspects, according to a statement obtained by WJAR. AP
The mother died at the scene and one of the children passed away at the hospital, the local outlet reported.
A woman who was seen leaving the Pawtucket police department following the deadly rampage told reporters, “my father was the shooter” and claimed that he was plagued by “mental health issues.”
“He shot my family, and he’s dead now,” she said, adding that he was “very sick.”
A livestream of the hockey match captured the moment spectators and players dove to the floor as approximately 11 gunshots rang out.
The arena is home ice for the Johnson and Wales Wildcats hockey team. REUTERS
The employee said staffers were instructed to close the store and evacuate the building. AP
Many players on the bench scrambled as they pushed to squeeze out of the box, with some ditching their skates in the process. Others vaulted over the barrier surrounding the rink and headed straight for the locker room, according to the harrowing video.
Witnesses told CBS News that, in the chaos, they surmised the gunshots were “balloons” popping or “the kids banging the boards with their skates.”
But when the shots continued, they all rushed to evacuate, while some tried to assist the victims in the stands.
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A hero bystander disarmed the gunman, but he had another weapon, according to witnesses.
Branden Mello, a local sports editor, said that one father at the game wrestled a gun out of the shooter’s hands, but they still “had a second weapon.”
Olin Lawrence, a sophomore goalkeeper for Coventry High School, told CBS News that he and the other players barricaded themselves inside a locker room.
“We were just trying to be safe. We were trying to see if everyone was all good and if everyone was safe. Just to get everyone on the door. We pressed against the door and just tried to stay safe down in there. It was very scary. We were very nervous. It was a lot of shots,” Olin said.
Mello said that one father at the game wrestled a gun out of the shooter’s hands, but they still “had a second weapon.” REUTERS
Melissa Dunn fled the arena, but doubled back to locate her son, who was competing on one of the teams. When she made it back inside, she said she saw people performing CPR on the victims in the stands.
Pawtucket Mayor Donald Grebien said law enforcement is working in tandem with the Rhode Island Attorney General’s Office “to ensure the facts are fully established” before making any other announcements.
“Pawtucket is a strong and resilient community, but tonight we are a city in mourning. We will stand together to support all those affected in the difficult days ahead, and we will keep the public updated as confirmed facts become available,” Grebien said.
The FBI’s Boston field office is also assisting the investigation, FBI Director Kash Patel announced on X.
Lynch Arena is home ice for the Johnson and Wales Wildcats hockey team, and was hosting matches with several local schools at the time.
Students from Coventry, Johnston, North Providence and North Smithfield high schools were all participating in games with St. Raphael Academy and Providence Country Day School when the shooting occurred, as reported by WJAR.
St. Raphael Academy told WJAR that they “have been told none of our [school] family was injured” in the shooting.
Coventry’s superintendent also confirmed that all of the town’s students were accounted for.
Johnston Public Schools told the outlet that its sole student-athlete participating in the tourney and a spectator were both safe.
They added that no other Johnston students were injured, but only “to the best of our knowledge.”