Dad Shoots Wife and 3 Kids in Horror ‘Family Dispute’ at Crowded Hockey Arena

A high school hockey tournament in Rhode Island turned into a nightmare Monday afternoon when gunfire erupted inside a packed arena, sending terrified parents and players scrambling for safety.

Police say the shooting happened around 2:30 p.m. at Lynch Arena in Pawtucket during a series of co-op high school games. Authorities described it as a targeted family dispute.

Two people were killed and three others remain in critical condition, according to law enforcement.

The suspected shooter was identified as 56-year-old Robert Dorgan, who also went by Roberta Esposito. Police said Dorgan died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound at the scene.

Investigators say the victims included his son’s mother, their three children, and a family friend who were all seated in the stands watching the game. The mother was pronounced dead at the arena, and one of the children later died at the hospital, according to local reports.

In the aftermath, a woman leaving the Pawtucket Police Department told reporters, “My father was the shooter. He shot my family, and he’s dead now.” She added that he had struggled with serious mental health issues and described him as “very sick.”

A livestream of the game captured the chilling moment when roughly a dozen shots rang out. At first, some spectators reportedly thought the sounds were balloons popping or players banging their sticks against the boards. But as the shots continued, panic set in.

Players dove to the ice. Some scrambled out of the bench area, kicking off their skates to run faster. Others vaulted over rink barriers and rushed toward locker rooms. Parents in the stands screamed and fled for exits, while a few brave bystanders tried to help the wounded.

Witnesses told local outlets that one father managed to wrestle a weapon away from the gunman. However, reports indicate the shooter had a second firearm.

Olin Lawrence, a sophomore goalie for Coventry High School, said players barricaded themselves inside a locker room.

“We were just trying to be safe,” he told reporters. “We pressed against the door and tried to stay down. It was very scary. There were a lot of shots.”

One mother, Melissa Dunn, said she initially fled but turned back inside to find her son, who was competing in the tournament. When she returned, she saw people performing CPR on victims in the stands.

Multiple schools were participating in the tournament at the time, including students from Coventry, Johnston, North Providence, North Smithfield, St. Raphael Academy, and Providence Country Day School. School officials later confirmed that, aside from the targeted victims, their student-athletes were accounted for and safe.

Pawtucket Mayor Donald Grebien called the tragedy devastating for the community.

“Pawtucket is a strong and resilient community, but tonight we are a city in mourning,” he said, adding that law enforcement is working with the Rhode Island Attorney General’s Office to fully establish the facts.

The FBI’s Boston field office is assisting in the investigation.