Shooting at Pawtucket Hockey Arena Leaves Three Dead

PAWTUCKET, R.I. — A shooting at the Dennis M. Lynch Arena in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, during a youth hockey game on Monday, February 16, 2026, resulted in three fatalities, including the shooter and left three others hospitalized in critical condition, according to authorities.

Details of the Incident

Pawtucket Police Chief Tina Goncalves reported that the shooter died from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound . The shooting occurred during a game involving high school teams, specifically on “Senior Night” for the Blackstone Valley Schools co-operative boys hockey team . The teams involved included athletes from St. Raphael Academy, Providence Country Day, and the public high schools of North Providence and North Smithfield, playing against a co-operative team from Coventry and Johnston.

Authorities believe the shooting was a targeted incident, potentially stemming from a family dispute . The shooter has been identified as Robert Dorgan, who also went by the name Roberta Esposito, born in 1969 .

Witness Accounts and Investigation

Investigators are interviewing numerous witnesses who were present at the Dennis M. Lynch Arena and reviewing video footage from the hockey game . Unverified social media footage shows players diving for cover and fans fleeing the arena after gunshots were heard. Rhode Island Sen. Jack Reed stated that a “good Samaritan” attempted to disarm the shooter .

Community Response

Pawtucket Mayor Donald Grebien noted the tragedy, emphasizing that the shooting occurred during a community event involving high school students and their families . The shooting came less than two months after a separate gun violence incident at Brown University, where two students were killed and nine others were wounded . Mayor Grebien confirmed the two incidents are not related.

All students from Coventry are accounted for and safe, according to a superintendent for the town’s public school system, Don Cowart .