A somber atmosphere has enveloped the Lynch Arena in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, following a tragic shooting on Monday afternoon during a youth hockey game. The incident, which occurred at around 2:30 p.m. during a "Senior Night" hockey tournament, resulted in the death of two individuals and left three others critically injured. The shooter, 56-year-old Robert Dorgan, also known as Roberta Esposito, subsequently took his own life.
Dorgan targeted his ex-wife Rhonda, 52, and their son Aidan Dorgan, 23. The attack unfolded in front of attendees, including Dorgan's youngest son, Colin Dorgan, 17, who was playing in the game. Spectators and players were thrown into chaos as Dorgan fired approximately a dozen shots. One witness attempted to detain the gunman as others sought refuge from the gunfire.
Olin Lawrence, a player on the ice, initially mistook the gunshots for balloons before realizing the severity of the situation and fleeing to safety with his teammates. The game featured students from a combination of schools, including Coventry and Johnston against St. Raphael, PCD, North Providence, and North Smithfield schools.
Social media profiles connected to Dorgan revealed a large SS symbol tattoo on his bicep, featuring a Totenkopf or "death's head" skull, a notorious symbol of the SS known to be appropriated by neo-Nazis and white supremacists. The Anti-Defamation League has identified the symbol as one intrinsically linked to the SS's role in guarding concentration camps during the Holocaust.
In the days leading up to the shooting, Dorgan had engaged in disturbing social media behavior, voicing support for "white power" and posting antisemitic and racist content. A post the day before the incident included an anti-Asian slur and a threat to go "BESERK."
The Pawtucket Police Chief Tina Goncalves believes the attack was targeted, stemming from a family dispute. Court records reveal a tumultuous history, including Rhonda's filing for divorce from Dorgan in 2020, citing "irreconcilable differences." The divorce was finalized in 2021 after initially referencing Dorgan's gender reassignment surgery and personality disorder traits.
In 2020, Dorgan had reported threats from his father-in-law to the North Providence police following his gender reassignment surgery. Charges against his father-in-law for intimidation and obstruction were later dismissed. Dorgan also faced charges of simple assault, battery, and disorderly conduct due to an altercation with his mother, which were also dismissed.
A GoFundMe campaign has been started by Rhonda’s stepdaughter, Amanda Wallace-Hubbard, to support Colin and his sister Ava as they face an uncertain future without their parents and older brother. The fundraiser has already garnered significant support, reflecting the community's solidarity in the face of this tragedy.
