The gunman in the shooting at an ice rink in Pawtucket, Rhode Island on Monday, February 16, identified as Robert Dorgan, killed his son and ex-wife before killing himself, authorities said Tuesday.
Pawtucket Police Chief Tina Goncalves identified the deceased as Aidan Dorgan and his mother, Rhonda Dorgan, and added that the three injured in critical condition are the young man’s grandparents and the woman’s parents, as well as a family friend.
Robert Dorgan killed his son and ex at Rhode Island
🇺🇸 | The attacker who opened fire at an ice skating rink in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, has been identified as Robert Dorgan, 56, also known by the female name “Roberta Esposito,” the police chief said.
According to authorities, the… pic.twitter.com/aL3j5fzRyc
– World Alert (@AlertaMundoNews) February 17, 2026
Goncalves identified the shooter Monday night as Dorgan, 56, adding that she also went by the name Roberta Esposito, and today commented that her identity as a transgender woman is one of the “givens” in the investigation.
The police chief said the family was at the rink to watch one of the sons play field hockey in a school tournament, and said it was “not unusual” for Dorgan to travel to be present at these sporting events.
However, Dorgan apparently had a “target” yesterday and approached the family members individually before shooting them, with no prior interaction or dispute, he said.
Several people who were near Dorgan came to restrain him after he started shooting, but he then pulled out a second gun, with which he killed himself, Goncalves said.
A GoFundMe platform page created by relatives of the victims also identifies the victims as Aidan and Rhonda Dorgan, and asks for donations to help two of the young man’s siblings, who have been orphaned and whose grandparents, it notes, are “fighting for their lives.”
The incident took place after 3:00 p.m. during a school field hockey game, and authorities initially reported two fatalities, including a girl, a version that has since changed.
Rhonda Dorgan filed for divorce in 2020 on the grounds of “irreconcilable differences,” but previously indicated, in blacked-out answers, “gender reassignment surgery” and “narcissistic and personality disorder traits,” according to court documents cited by local media outlet The Providence Journal.
With information from EFE
