Two people were killed and three others were critically wounded when a man opened fire during a high school hockey event at the Dennis M. Lynch Arena on Monday afternoon, authorities said, adding that the suspect died at the scene after what police described as a targeted, family-related dispute.
The shooting, reported around 2:30 p.m. Feb. 16, jolted a crowded rink about 5 miles north of Providence and prompted a heavy police response, school notifications and a widening investigation involving local, state and federal authorities. Pawtucket Police Chief Tina Goncalves said the gunfire appeared aimed at specific people rather than a random attack, but officials cautioned that key details remained under review as investigators sorted witness accounts, video and evidence from the arena.
Police said the suspect was identified as 56-year-old Robert Dorgan, who also used the name Roberta. Goncalves said five people were shot, including the suspect. One victim died at the arena, and a second victim died later at a hospital. The three other shooting victims remained hospitalized in critical condition Monday night, and city officials said they were “fighting for their lives.” Authorities did not immediately release the names of the victims, saying families were being notified and investigators were still confirming relationships and other details.
The gunfire erupted in the stands while teams and spectators were inside the building for a boys’ high school hockey matchup connected to a tournament schedule, officials said. Witnesses described a moment of confusion before the crowd realized it was gunfire, then a rush for exits and cover as people tried to get away from the bleachers. Video from a livestream of the game captured the sound of repeated shots and the sudden scramble as players and spectators ducked, ran and shouted. In the commotion, some people left belongings behind, and others crowded into nearby businesses to shelter, according to accounts from the scene.
Investigators said the early picture was of an argument that escalated quickly. Goncalves told reporters the incident appeared “targeted” and linked to a family dispute, though she did not describe the dispute or say what led up to the shooting. The chief said the suspect fired into a group in the stands, striking multiple people in a short burst. Officers arriving at the rink moved to secure the building, locate the shooter and begin lifesaving aid. Medical crews transported the wounded as police cleared sections of the arena, officials said.
Authorities credited at least one bystander with intervening during the attack. Investigators said a person in the stands managed to disarm the shooter during the chaos, but the suspect had another weapon and the gunfire resumed before the shooting ended. Police said the suspect died at the scene, and officials indicated it appeared to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Investigators did not immediately say what types of firearms were used or how many shots were fired, and they declined to discuss whether the weapons were legally owned as they worked to trace them.
The location of the violence and the presence of students made the response unusually complex. School and league officials began contacting families as police worked to reunite players and spectators with parents and guardians. Several districts with teams connected to the event said their students were accounted for and that counselors would be made available. Outside the rink, officers set up a wide perimeter along Andrew D. Ferland Way as ambulances and police vehicles streamed in. Parents clustered behind police tape, trying to learn whether their children were safe, while officials directed families to staging areas to pick up players and check on loved ones.
By late afternoon, investigators were treating the arena as a major crime scene. Detectives moved through the bleachers and concourse, marking evidence locations and collecting items left behind as people fled. Officials said they were seeking cellphone video and talking to people who may have been closest to the shooting, including coaches, arena staff and spectators seated nearby. Federal agents also responded, and authorities said the case would be investigated with assistance from outside agencies because of the number of victims and the public setting.
Officials emphasized that many questions were still unanswered Monday evening, including the precise timeline of the dispute, how the suspect entered the building with weapons, and the exact relationships among those shot. Goncalves said the initial evidence did not suggest an ongoing threat to the broader public after the suspect’s death, but she urged anyone with information or video to speak with detectives. Police also said they would review the livestream footage, arena surveillance and witness statements to confirm the sequence of events and to understand how the bystander intervention unfolded.
The shooting sent shockwaves through a state where youth hockey and school sports are tightly knit, and it raised fresh concerns about security at public events. City officials said the focus in the coming days would be supporting the victims’ families and the broader school communities while investigators completed interviews and forensics work. The three surviving victims remained hospitalized in critical condition, and officials said the next updates were expected after detectives complete notifications, confirm identities and release a clearer account of what sparked the violence.
Author note: Last updated February 16, 2026.