what happened at the hockey rink in rhode island

There was a deadly mass shooting at a youth hockey event at the Dennis M. Lynch Arena in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, in mid‑February 2026.

Quick Scoop: What happened at the hockey rink in Rhode Island?

The core incident

• A man opened fire during a youth/high school hockey event at the Dennis M. Lynch Arena in Pawtucket on a Monday afternoon in February 2026.

• Multiple shots rang out in rapid succession, sending players, families, and spectators scrambling for cover and toward the exits.

• Police and emergency services responded around 2:28 p.m. local time, and the arena and surrounding area were quickly flooded with law enforcement.

Victims and shooter

• The shooter killed his ex‑wife and one of their sons during the attack, according to Pawtucket’s police chief.

• Three other people were injured: reports identify them as the ex‑wife’s parents and a family friend, who were all there for the game.

• The attacker, identified as 56‑year‑old Robert Dorgan, who was also known as Roberta Esposito, died from what appears to be a self‑inflicted gunshot wound.

Motive and nature of the attack

• Police have described the shooting as a targeted, family‑related dispute rather than a random act of violence.

• Investigators have interviewed nearly 100 witnesses as they reconstruct the sequence of events and clarify the exact motive and relationships.

• Authorities and local officials emphasized how the attack shattered what was supposed to be a normal, celebratory hockey night for students and families.

On‑scene chaos and response

• Witnesses reported hearing around a dozen shots fired in just a few seconds, with a brief pause and then another shot shortly afterward.

• Players dropped to the ice or jumped over the boards, and people in the stands ducked, ran, or helped children get out of the building.

• A “good Samaritan” or bystander reportedly intervened in some way that helped bring the attack to a rapid end, though officials have not released full details.

Aftermath and community impact

• Children and spectators were evacuated and later reunited with families at a nearby location using buses brought in by local transit.

• The shooting has drawn national attention as another instance of gun violence invading a youth sports setting, with ongoing coverage by major news outlets.

• The Dennis M. Lynch Arena remained an active crime scene into the following day as investigators processed evidence and the community began holding vigils and calls for support.

Mini FAQ: what people are asking online

“Was this a random mass shooting?”
No. Police say the attack appears to have been a targeted act connected to a family dispute, not a random attack on the general public.

“How many people died?”
Reports describe three deaths in total at the scene: the ex‑wife, one of the couple’s sons, and the shooter, along with three additional injured victims.

“Where exactly did this happen?”
Inside the Dennis M. Lynch Arena in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, during a youth/high school hockey event that was being recorded and streamed.

Meta description (SEO):
A tragic shooting at the Dennis M. Lynch Arena in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, left family members dead and others injured during a youth hockey game. Learn what happened, who was involved, and how the community is responding.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.