A horrific shooting at a youth hockey game in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, turned a “senior night” celebration into a scene of devastation on Monday, February 16, 2026.
Robert Dorgan, 56, who also goes by Roberta Esposito, entered the Dennis M. Lynch Arena around 2:30 p.m. and opened fire, fatally shooting his ex-wife, Rhonda Dorgan, at the scene and their adult son, Aidan Dorgan, who later died at a hospital.
Three other victims, Rhonda’s parents and a family friend, were critically injured and remain in serious condition, according to BBC.
The attack appeared to target family members attending the game, where Dorgan’s younger son was also playing.
Bystanders rushed to intervene, tackling Dorgan as he reached for a second weapon.
He then died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, according to CNN.
Pawtucket Police Chief Tina Goncalves said during a Tuesday briefing, “It was their senior night, and there were no signs or expectations of violence.”
Court documents show Rhonda Dorgan filed for divorce from Robert Dorgan in February 2020.
The papers originally cited “gender reassignment surgery, narcissistic + personality disorder traits” as grounds, though those words were crossed out and replaced with “irreconcilable differences.”
Dorgan worked at General Dynamics Bath Iron Works, a shipbuilding facility in Bath, Maine, that contracts with the U.S. Navy, a spokesperson said. Colleague Destiny Mackenzie recalled Dorgan used the women’s bathroom and that they often discussed family.
“His ex-wife never came up,” Mackenzie said, “but a hockey-playing son was a frequent topic.”
]Another colleague, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Dorgan appeared conflicted about transgender acceptance, sometimes proud of transitioning and other times embarrassed, and knew he owned guns but was unsure how many.
Military records show Dorgan briefly served in the Marine Corps, enlisting on April 26, 1988, but less than three months later, on July 13, he was separated with the lowest rank.