Pawtucket, Rhode Island — A tragic shooting at an ice hockey rink left two dead and several injured on Monday, with police revealing that the suspected shooter had a longstanding vendetta against his family. Authorities identified 56-year-old Robert Dorgan as the gunman who fatally shot his ex-wife, Rhonda Dorgan, and their adult son, Aidan, who later succumbed to his injuries in the hospital.
Disturbingly, the shooting unfolded at the Dennis M. Lynch Arena where families had gathered for a high school game. Three additional individuals were reported injured, including Rhonda’s parents, Linda and Gerald Dorgan, who remain hospitalized in critical condition. A friend of the family, Thomas Geruso, is also in serious condition following the attack.
According to witnesses, the chaos erupted suddenly, prompting players and spectators to quickly seek shelter as multiple shots rang out. Video footage captured the harrowing moment when a good Samaritan intervened, tackling Dorgan to the ground and preventing further bloodshed. Amanda Wallace-Hubbard, Dorgan’s daughter from a previous relationship, expressed deep gratitude for the man’s bravery, believing it saved her life and those of her children.
Wallace-Hubbard described the incident as an orchestrated attack, asserting that the shooter had targeted his own family. “This was not random; it was very specific. We were targeted,” she told reporters. Her half-brother, Colin Dorgan, was playing on the ice at the time of the shooting.
In the aftermath, police have not disclosed a precise motive but have indicated that the shooting stemmed from a family dispute. Pawtucket Police Chief Tina Goncalves labeled the event a tragic familial conflict. Investigators are reviewing surveillance footage and gathering witness accounts to establish a timeline of events leading up to the shooting.
Court documents reveal that Robert Dorgan had a history of tensions with his family, particularly revolving around his gender transition. In previous legal disputes, he reported being threatened by his father-in-law, who allegedly used derogatory language towards him. Tensions escalated, culminating in Dorgan’s divorce from Rhonda in 2021.
As the community mourns the loss, the Dorgan family issued a statement highlighting the profound pain they are enduring as a result of this tragedy. They emphasized their commitment to cooperating with investigators while focusing on the well-being of those injured.
As reports reveal deeper family dynamics, it becomes clear that underlying issues may have contributed to the heartbreaking events at the hockey rink. Authorities continue to seek clarity on the circumstances surrounding the shooting, aiming to piece together the tragic narrative of a family torn apart by violence.