What was meant to be a routine high school hockey game in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, quickly became a heartbreaking scene that no one present will ever forget. Families filled the stands at Dennis M. Lynch Arena on February 16, 2026, expecting an afternoon of competition and celebration. Instead, gunfire shattered the noise of the crowd, leaving multiple victims and a stunned community searching for answers. Authorities have now identified those who lost their lives, revealing that the violence stemmed from a deeply personal family dispute.
Police confirmed that 56-year-old Robert Dorgan, who also used the name Roberta Esposito, opened fire during the game before dying from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound. According to officials, the two people killed were his former spouse, Rhonda Dorgan, who was pronounced dead at the arena, and their adult son, Aidan Dorgan, who later died at the hospital. Several others were critically injured, including Rhonda’s parents, Linda and Gerald Dorgan, as well as family friend Thomas Geruso. Investigators interviewed nearly 100 witnesses as they worked to reconstruct what unfolded inside the packed rink.
Court records show that the couple’s nearly 30-year marriage had ended in divorce in 2020, with documents citing irreconcilable differences. While officials have not released extensive details about the family’s history, authorities described the incident as targeted rather than random. Amanda Wallace-Hubbard, Robert’s daughter from another relationship, told reporters that she and her young sons were seated nearby when the shooting began. She credited a bystander who intervened during the chaos, saying she believes that quick action likely prevented even more loss of life.
The tragedy has left surviving family members facing an uncertain future. Seventeen-year-old Colin Dorgan was playing in the game when the shooting occurred, and he and his sister Ava Dorgan now face life without both parents and their older brother. Amanda has launched a fundraiser to support the siblings as they continue their education and adjust to overwhelming loss. As donations and messages of support pour in, the Pawtucket community is grappling with the impact of a private family conflict that unfolded in a public space — a reminder of how quickly ordinary moments can turn into lasting heartbreak.
