Key Facts about Robert Dorgan, Who Claimed the Lives of His Family Members during a School Hockey Match

What began as a celebration of senior night ended in sirens, screams, and heartbreak. But behind the horror at the hockey rink lies a story filled with family turmoil, bitter accusations, and secrets that now feel impossible to ignore.

What was supposed to be a celebratory afternoon of high school hockey ended in chaos that no one inside the arena will ever forget. At first, it sounded like popping noises. Then came the screams.

Minutes later, authorities confirmed the unthinkable after gunfire erupted inside the Rhode Island arena.

What Happened

Just before 3 p.m. on Monday, February 16, 2026, gunfire erupted inside Dennis M. Lynch Arena in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, during a youth hockey game, according to a report by WHDH.

Authorities confirmed that three people, including a child, were killed. The suspected shooter was also killed, and three others were rushed to the hospital in critical condition. Pawtucket Police Chief Tina Goncalves told reporters the suspect died from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound. Police were not involved in the shooter's death, and the investigation remains ongoing.

"It appears that this was a targeted event, that it may be a family dispute," Chief Goncalves said. She did not initially release the ages of those killed but noted that it appeared the victims were adults.

Later reports would reveal even more devastating details.

Chaos Inside the Arena

The shooting happened at the arena on Andrew D. Ferland Way, just outside Providence. Unverified videos circulating on social media showed players diving for cover as fans scrambled from their seats.

Outside, tearful families embraced. High school players, some still in uniform, were seen hugging before boarding buses to leave the area.

Roads around the arena were shut down as police vehicles flooded the scene and helicopters hovered overhead.

A Daughter Speaks Out

As stunned families gathered at the police department, a woman emerged with a heartbreaking claim. According to WCVB 5, she identified herself as the shooter's daughter. "My father was the shooter," she said. "He shot my family, and he's dead now."

"He has mental health issues," said the woman who said the shooter was her father. She went on to say that he struggled with his mental health for some time and was "very sick." She told reporters she did not yet know who had been killed and was heading to the hospital.

WCVB 5 also reported that hockey players and their families were taken by bus to the police department as the investigation unfolded. Some athletes were still in uniform, while parents clutched flowers meant for a senior night celebration that never came.

The shooting at Dennis M. Lynch Arena didn't happen in a vacuum. Behind the gunfire was a complicated history of a divorce filing, police reports, allegations, and strained relationships that now feel impossible to ignore. Here are five key facts that paint a fuller — and more disturbing — picture of the shooter, Robert Dorgan.

1. The Divorce Filing

The unraveling of Robert's marriage was documented in court filings. According to those court records first detailed by WPRI, his then-wife, Rhonda Dorgan, initially listed the grounds for divorce as "gender reassignment surgery, narcissistic + personality disorder traits."

Those reasons were then crossed out and replaced with "irreconcilable differences which have caused the immediate breakdown of the marriage." The divorce was finalized in June 2021.

At the time, paperwork showed Robert was living in Jacksonville, Florida, and working as a truck driver, geographically and emotionally distant from the Rhode Island family life he once shared. That legal language, quietly amended on paper, now reads like a warning sign of deeper fractures.

2. A Family Feud That Escalated

The tension inside the family home didn't stay private…

In early 2020, Robert went to the North Providence Police Department claiming he had recently undergone gender-reassignment surgery and that his father-in-law wanted him out of their North Providence home because of it, as reported by WPRI.

According to court documents, Robert told police his father-in-law threatened to "have him murdered by an Asian street gang if he did not move out of the residence." Robert said he had lived in that home for seven years.

He also alleged that his father-in-law used a derogatory term for transgender individuals and insisted that no such person was "going to stay" in his house. Authorities charged the father-in-law with intimidation of witnesses and victims of crimes and obstruction of the judicial system. However, prosecutors later dismissed the charges.

But the conflict didn't stop there. Around the same time, Robert accused his own mother of assaulting him and acting in a "violent, threatening or tumultuous manner," according to police records. His mother was charged with simple assault and battery, and disorderly conduct.

That case, too, was later dismissed. According to court records, Robert told police his father-in-law warned him that if he did not drop the assault charges against his mother, "further retaliation could be expected and that was another reason to have [him] killed."

It was a family dispute tangled in accusations, counter-accusations, and criminal complaints, none of which ultimately resulted in convictions, but all of which revealed a deeply fractured dynamic.

3. The Alleged Intention Behind His Brutal Act

After the gunfire echoed through the rink, one voice cut through the shock. Robert's daughter, Amanda Wallace-Hubbard, spoke to 12 News in a phone interview, and her words were unmistakable:

"I just want to make sure people understand this was one person's vendetta against their family. We were targeted. This was very specific. It wasn't random."

Tragically, her mother, Rhonda, was killed at the rink, while her brother, Aidan Dorgan, died at the hospital.

Also shot were Rhonda's parents, Linda and Gerald Dorgan — who share the same last name as her ex-spouse — and Thomas Geruso, a family friend. All three remained in critical condition at Rhode Island Hospital as of Tuesday afternoon, February 17, 2026.

Amanda's message was clear: this was not an indiscriminate act. In her view, it was deliberate.

4. The Unthinkable: His Son Was Skating Just Feet Away

The horror deepened when details emerged about where Robert's surviving son was at the exact moment shots rang out. As reported by the New York Post, 17-year-old Colin Dorgan — a team captain and standout defenseman for Blackstone Valley Schools' hockey team — was on the ice in his No. 17 jersey when the deadly attack began.

Video shows him skating backward at center ice when the first cracks of gunfire echoed through the arena. He momentarily whipped his head around toward the sound, just feet from where his father was allegedly firing from the stands.

Moments earlier, authorities say, Robert had shot and killed Colin's mother, Rhonda, and brother, Aidan. Colin then immediately began skating toward the rink exit, fleeing alongside teammates and a referee.

In the stands behind him, his father — who also identified as Roberta Esposito — allegedly fatally turned a gun on himself after killing two family members. The image of a teenage captain unknowingly skating toward chaos as his world collapsed behind him is one that will haunt this story forever.

In a heartbreaking contrast, a 2021 Facebook photo shared by Robert shows the family beaming at a hockey event.

They stand close together, posing with a framed jersey and flowers, the atmosphere celebratory. The caption reads, "MY UNIVERSE." The smiling faces in that snapshot now feel almost impossible to reconcile with what unfolded at the rink.

5. A Tense Professional Past

Robert's background included a short-lived chapter in the Marine Corps. According to the Associated Press (AP), he enlisted on April 26, 1988.

Less than three months later, on July 13, he was separated from the service with the lowest military rank. Marine Corps Spokesperson Maj. Jacoby Getty said the rapid discharge indicated Robert's character "was incongruent with Marine [sic] Corps' expectations and standards." Jacoby declined to elaborate further.

In recent years, Robert worked at General Dynamics Bath Iron Works in Maine, which is a shipbuilding facility that contracts with the U.S. Navy. Co-workers told the AP that he often used the first name Roberta at work.

One colleague, Destiny Mackenzie, recalled that Robert frequently talked about family, especially his hockey-playing son, but never about his ex-wife.

"What was supposed to be some seniors' only chance at playoff games is now ruined," she penned in a message to the AP. "Images that these kids and family's now have to live with. That's who I send my condolences to is those families [sic]."

Destiny also said Robert had a bad temper that sometimes led to screaming matches with colleagues.

Another co-worker, who spoke anonymously for fear of workplace reprisals, said Robert seemed conflicted about transgender acceptance, proud of transitioning one moment and embarrassed the next. That same co-worker said they knew Robert owned guns, though they were unsure how many.

The shooting at the rink came nearly two months after Rhode Island was rocked by another deadly shooting at Brown University that left two students dead, nine wounded, and an MIT professor killed. Authorities later found the Brown University suspect dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

Community Reaction

Pawtucket Mayor Don Grebien reportedly addressed the tragedy, emphasizing that the incident was not connected to the separate shooting at Brown University nearly two months ago.

"The fortunate thing is that the two incidents are not related, but it is very tragic," Don said. "These are high school kids. They were doing an event, they were playing with their families watching, a fun time, and it turned into this."

The Coventry School District also reportedly confirmed that all of its Boys Hockey team players present were accounted for and safe. In a statement, the district said:

"The Coventry School District confirms that all students from the Boys Hockey team who were present during a reported incident at Lynch Arena in Pawtucket, RI have been accounted for and are safe. District officials were notified of the situation while the team was at the arena and immediately began coordinating with event staff and law enforcement."

"An officer from the Coventry Police Department is on scene and remains with the students. School staff are also present and supervising the team. The district is continuing to monitor developments and is working with authorities as reunification and transportation plans are finalized," the statement reportedly continued.

"At this time, the district's focus is on student safety, family communication, and ensuring a calm and orderly return home. We are grateful for the swift response of first responders and arena personnel. Additional updates will be shared if appropriate as more verified information becomes available," it concluded.

At this time, we wish to extend our most heartfelt condolences to Amanda, Colin, Linda, Gerald, and their entire family, friends, community, and all impacted by this tragedy. We hope for their healing as they grieve the significant losses of Rhonda and Aidan. RIP to all the lives lost.

If you or someone you know is considering suicide, please contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255), text "help" to the Crisis Text Line at 741-741, or go to suicidepreventionlifeline.org.