Tragic Rhode Island Hockey Rink Shooting: Survivors Critically Injured, Trans Shooter Targets Family

In a tragic incident at a Rhode Island ice rink, two individuals remain in critical condition following a shooting that left multiple people injured. The victims are currently fighting for their lives, according to information obtained by Fox News.

Sources revealed that Robert Dorgan, a 56-year-old who identified as transgender and had previously faced familial tensions over his gender identity, was responsible for the attack. Dorgan fatally shot his ex-wife, Rhonda, and his son, Aidan, before turning the gun on his in-laws during a high school hockey game at the Dennis M. Lynch Arena in Pawtucket.

The shooting unfolded on Monday afternoon, shocking the community and prompting a swift response from local law enforcement. Following the tragic events, authorities discovered that Dorgan had ended his own life with a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

Pawtucket Police Chief Tina Goncalves highlighted the bravery of a bystander who intervened in an attempt to restrain the shooter, underscoring the chaos and bravery that marked the incident. This devastating event, described as a family dispute by officials, has left the community reeling as they come to terms with the loss and ongoing trauma.

Dorgan took his own life after the shooting, authorities said. Pawtucket Police Chief Tina Goncalves said a “good Samaritan” also stepped in and “attempted to subdue” the shooter.

“We can also tell you that a good Samaritan stepped in and interjected in the scene, and that’s probably what led to a swift end of this tragic event earlier today,” she said Monday night. 

In addition to this son, two other siblings – a high school hockey player and his sister who is studying to be a nurse – have been left behind without either parent.

Robert Dorgan, identified by police as the suspect in the Pawtucket ice rink shooting, pictured in an undated photo. (X/@VerdadEsPoder)

People who know the family well told Fox News that Dorgan transitioned back in 2020 and started going by the name Roberta. 

That same year, Dorgan reported to North Providence police that he had undergone gender-reassignment surgery and said his father-in-law wanted him out of the family home because of it. 

Dorgan would sometimes attend hockey games dressed in women’s clothing, such as tight denim shorts and tight tops. 

Police stand outside the Dennis M. Lynch Arena in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, after a shooting on Feb. 16, 2026, left two people dead and three others injured in what authorities described as a family dispute. At right is Robert Dorgan, identified by police as the suspect, who died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. (Joseph Prezioso/AFP via Getty Images; X/@VerdadEsPoder)

Dorgan’s then-wife initially cited “gender reassignment surgery, narcissistic + personality disorder traits” in divorce paperwork before the grounds were amended to “irreconcilable differences.” 

The divorce was finalized in 2021. Divorce records list Dorgan as living in Jacksonville, Florida, at the time and working as a truck driver.