Rhode Island’s quiet city of Pawtucket turned into a scene of heartbreak on a Monday afternoon when gunfire broke out during a high school hockey game at the Dennis M. Lynch Arena. Witnesses heard the first shots just after 2:30 p.m. east coast time. What was meant to be a community event filled with cheers turned into chaos and grief in seconds.
Police quickly confirmed that 56‑year‑old Robert Dorgan fired on his own family in what authorities are calling a targeted attack. His ex‑wife, Rhonda Dorgan, 52, was killed at the rink. Their adult son, Aidan Dorgan, 23, was rushed to a hospital where he later died from his wounds. Both were sitting together in the stands at the game, watching another son play. Three others were critically injured: Rhonda’s parents, Linda and Gerald Dorgan, and a family friend, Thomas Geruso, who is an assistant principal at a local high school.
Spectators and players were thrown into panic as shots echoed. Some players fled off the ice while families scrambled for cover. Amid the confusion a few bystanders acted, rushing toward the shooter and wresting the weapon away from him long enough for others to help restrain him. Authorities said Dorgan then drew a second firearm and turned it on himself. He was found dead at the scene from an apparent self‑inflicted wound. Police and emergency crews arrived within minutes, treating the wounded and securing the arena.
The shooting has shaken the Pawtucket community and beyond. Coaches hugged players still in their uniforms, and parents held children tight outside the rink as police tape cordoned off the area. Officials from schools and local government expressed deep sorrow, calling the violence “senseless” and urging community support for all affected families. Counseling services were made available for students and families trying to process the shock.
Details from court filings show that Rhonda had filed for divorce from Robert Dorgan years earlier. Police described the attack as a family dispute, though they cautioned that the exact motive remains under investigation. Authorities found two handguns at the scene, a Glock and a SIG Sauer, both believed to be legally obtained. Dorgan had attended hockey games in the past without incident, making the sudden act of violence all the more shocking to those who knew the family.
Since the tragedy, friends and neighbors have shared memories of Rhonda as a caring presence and of Aidan as a young man with a bright future. The hockey community has rallied around the injured and grieving, holding impromptu vigils and moments of silence at rinks across the region. Questions about security at youth sporting events and the warning signs that might prevent similar tragedies are now part of the wider conversation in Rhode Island and beyond.
Amid the sorrow, families of both victims and survivors hope for healing. They are focused on supporting the injured and remembering Rhonda and Aidan for the lives they lived, rather than how they died. The community’s response, marked by compassion and courage in the face of violence, now joins their story.
