Three people, including a suspected gunman, are dead and three are injured in a shooting at a Pawtucket, Rhode Island, skating rink, the city’s police department confirmed. The shooting happened during a scheduled co-op hockey game at the Dennis M. Lynch Arena on Andrew D. Ferland Way just before 3 p.m. Monday. According to Pawtucket Police Chief Tina Goncalves, the shooting may have been domestic in nature, as the gunman appeared to have been going after members of his family. The shooter appeared to have fatally shot himself after the incident, Goncalves said. Three victims were taken to Rhode Island Hospital, where they are in critical condition. One of the deceased victims died at the hospital, a spokesperson confirmed. Later Monday evening, investigators were seen towing a white van from the parking lot outside the arena. Video: Officials provide update after 3 killed, 3 wounded in shooting A number of schools, including St. Raphael Academy, Providence Country Day School, North Providence, and North Smithfield, were participating in a Blackstone Valley Schools co-op, playing against Coventry Public Schools at the time of the shooting. One of the schools was celebrating Senior Night, which honors senior student-athletes and their families during what is usually the final game of the season.All of the schools involved in the game confirmed that their students and players were not injured in the shooting.A woman who was leaving the Pawtucket Police Department after the shooting told NewsCenter 5 that her father was the shooter. “My father was the shooter,” she said. “He shot my family, and he’s dead now.”She also said, “He has mental health issues.” As she walked toward a pickup truck parked across from the police department, the woman said she did not know who was killed but that she was going to the hospital next.One woman and her son said they were in the stands when they heard the gunshots.”After four shots, we saw everybody hitting the ground,” she said. “The first thing I thought was where’s my kid? I turned around, I looked toward the stands, and he was there, and I was just screaming at him to get down. I went back in to see where he was, and I saw them doing CPR in the stands. It was really disturbing.”Video: Hockey players raced across ice after shots fired in arenaThe Coventry Public Schools district released a statement confirming that the members of its boys’ hockey team were present at the arena. “All students from the Coventry Boys Hockey team who were present at an incident at Lynch Arena in Pawtucket have been accounted for and are safe,” schools superintendent Dan Cowart said. “A Coventry police officer is on scene with the students, and school staff remain with the team as reunification is coordinated.” Students in many school districts in the area are currently on February break.A 16-year-old goalie for the Coventry team said he was on the ice when shots rang out.”I’m overwhelmed, but trying to stay calm,” he said. “You don’t know what it feels like until you’re in it.”A bus filled with hockey players, parents and family members who were inside the arena at the time of the shooting was taken to the Pawtucket Police Headquarters.Video below: Large police response at Rhode Island skating rink A Walgreens on Broad Street near the arena was placed on lockdown with all retail and pharmacy operations suspended in the wake of the shooting, the company said in a statement. Rhode Island Gov. Dan McKee also released a statement.FBI Director Kash Patel confirmed that the agency was assisting state and local police in the shooting investigation. The arena is less than two miles from the Rhode Island-Massachusetts border. The shooting happened just two months after a gunman opened fire at the Barus and Holley engineering building on the Brown University campus in Providence, killing two students.
PAWTUCKET, R.I. —
Three people, including a suspected gunman, are dead and three are injured in a shooting at a Pawtucket, Rhode Island, skating rink, the city’s police department confirmed.
The shooting happened during a scheduled co-op hockey game at the Dennis M. Lynch Arena on Andrew D. Ferland Way just before 3 p.m. Monday.
According to Pawtucket Police Chief Tina Goncalves, the shooting may have been domestic in nature, as the gunman appeared to have been going after members of his family.
The shooter appeared to have fatally shot himself after the incident, Goncalves said.
Three victims were taken to Rhode Island Hospital, where they are in critical condition. One of the deceased victims died at the hospital, a spokesperson confirmed.
Later Monday evening, investigators were seen towing a white van from the parking lot outside the arena.
Video: Officials provide update after 3 killed, 3 wounded in shooting
A number of schools, including St. Raphael Academy, Providence Country Day School, North Providence, and North Smithfield, were participating in a Blackstone Valley Schools co-op, playing against Coventry Public Schools at the time of the shooting.
One of the schools was celebrating Senior Night, which honors senior student-athletes and their families during what is usually the final game of the season.
All of the schools involved in the game confirmed that their students and players were not injured in the shooting.
A woman who was leaving the Pawtucket Police Department after the shooting told NewsCenter 5 that her father was the shooter.
“My father was the shooter,” she said. “He shot my family, and he’s dead now.”
She also said, “He has mental health issues.”
As she walked toward a pickup truck parked across from the police department, the woman said she did not know who was killed but that she was going to the hospital next.
One woman and her son said they were in the stands when they heard the gunshots.
“After four shots, we saw everybody hitting the ground,” she said. “The first thing I thought was where’s my kid? I turned around, I looked toward the stands, and he was there, and I was just screaming at him to get down. I went back in to see where he was, and I saw them doing CPR in the stands. It was really disturbing.”
Video: Hockey players raced across ice after shots fired in arena
The Coventry Public Schools district released a statement confirming that the members of its boys’ hockey team were present at the arena.
“All students from the Coventry Boys Hockey team who were present at an incident at Lynch Arena in Pawtucket have been accounted for and are safe,” schools superintendent Dan Cowart said. “A Coventry police officer is on scene with the students, and school staff remain with the team as reunification is coordinated.”
Students in many school districts in the area are currently on February break.
A 16-year-old goalie for the Coventry team said he was on the ice when shots rang out.
“I’m overwhelmed, but trying to stay calm,” he said. “You don’t know what it feels like until you’re in it.”
A bus filled with hockey players, parents and family members who were inside the arena at the time of the shooting was taken to the Pawtucket Police Headquarters.
Video below: Large police response at Rhode Island skating rink
A Walgreens on Broad Street near the arena was placed on lockdown with all retail and pharmacy operations suspended in the wake of the shooting, the company said in a statement.
Rhode Island Gov. Dan McKee also released a statement.
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We are actively monitoring the shooting at Dennis M. Lynch Arena in Pawtucket. I just spoke with Mayor Grebien as well as @RIStatePolice who are working with local law enforcement.
I am praying for Pawtucket and everyone involved.
— Governor Dan McKee (@GovDanMcKee) February 16, 2026
FBI Director Kash Patel confirmed that the agency was assisting state and local police in the shooting investigation.
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.@FBIBoston is responding to the shooting this afternoon at Dennis M. Lynch Arena in Pawtucket, RI – we will provide state and local law enforcement any and all resources necessary and keep the public updated as we are able. In the meantime please pray for the victims and their…
— FBI Director Kash Patel (@FBIDirectorKash) February 16, 2026
The arena is less than two miles from the Rhode Island-Massachusetts border.
The shooting happened just two months after a gunman opened fire at the Barus and Holley engineering building on the Brown University campus in Providence, killing two students.