Category: Minneapolis, Minnesota Local News

By Michael Casey and Kimberlee Kruesi
Associated Press

PROVIDENCE, R.I. — Sitting in the stands at a hockey game, Michael Black heard what he thought was popping balloons before quickly realizing it was gunfire. As dozens of people rushed out of the Rhode Island arena, Black told his wife to “run, run” and then lunged toward the shooter’s handgun.

Black managed to get his left hand caught in the chamber of Robert Dorgan’s gun, jamming it and then briefly attempted to hold Dorgan down. But Dorgan, a former bodybuilder, hoisted Black into the air before at least two other bystanders rushed over to subdue the shooter. One of them could be seen on video putting Dorgan into a choke hold.

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Dorgan fell to the ground, with the 58-year-old Black on top of him. The shooter died from a self-inflicted gunshot after pulling out a second gun as the two locked eyes. Black never heard Dorgan say a word.

“The first thought was the safety of my wife. And the second thought was, because the bullets were coming out, was to focus in on the gun,” said Black, who ran a printing company until he retired in 2021 and has no specialized emergency response training. “Get the gun and then subdue the shooter.”

Pawtucket police have said the shooter behind the deadly ice rink tragedy on Monday was Robert Dorgan, who also went by Roberta Esposito and Roberta Dorgano.

Dorgan’s ex-wife Rhonda Dorgan and adult son Aidan Dorgan were killed in the shooting, and three others were injured: Rhonda Dorgan’s parents, Linda and Gerald Dorgan; and a family friend, Thomas Geruso, all of whom remained in critical condition Wednesday.

‘Courageous citizens’ help stop tragedy

Along with Black, Robert Rattenni and Ryan Cordeiro are being credited as subduing the suspect. Separately, Chris Librizzi and Glenn Narodowy, both retired Rhode Island firefighters and EMTs, and nurse Maryann Rattenni provided first aid in the immediate aftermath.

Pawtucket police say this group of “courageous citizens” who rushed to intervene in the attack “undoubtedly prevented further injury and increased the chances of survival for the injured.”

“I look at it as being fortunate, saddened tremendously in the loss, but fortunate that a small group of people could make a difference,” Black said in a Zoom interview Thursday from South Carolina where he was on a college visit with his son.

One of the more puzzling unsolved questions surrounding the ice rink shooting is over why Dorgan chose the Dennis M. Lynch arena. It was a familiar spot for Dorgan’s family, with Aidan Dorgan, 23, playing hockey and had once hoped to be recruited by a college hockey team. He’d shown up Monday to watch his little brother’s hockey match with his mom, grandparents and other family. Dorgan had also been known to frequent the arena to watch family matches.

On Monday, Amanda Wallace-Hubbard, Aidan Dorgan’s sister and stepdaughter to Rhonda Dorgan, was in the stands. She has since credited Black as the reason she’s still alive since she was likely next in line to have been shot.

Black also said a detective reached out to him Tuesday to say that one of Dorgan’s daughters wanted to thank him for his efforts.

Survivors grapple with hero title

Authorities have not directly said that Dorgan was transgender and have said questions around Dorgan’s gender identity are not relevant to their investigation surrounding the case.

However, court records from Dorgan’s past show that gender identity was at least one of the contributing factors to Dorgan’s wife filing for divorce in 2020 after nearly 30 years of marriage. Dorgan’s X account mentions being transgender and sharing far-right ideologies.

With Dorgan dead, other bystanders rushed to provide treatment for the five people who had been shot and were lying between the bleachers. Blood was everywhere. Police arrived within minutes, and Black with his injured hand was escorted outside in the parking lot where he reunited with his wife.

“My wife saw me and she ran underneath the yellow tape, kind of grabbed me from behind, and we gave a big hug,” Black said. “She said, ‘I heard you helped with the shooter. And she says, what’s all the blood? I said, ’I got my hand caught in the gun.’ And then she said, ‘Honey, I don’t know whether I should be proud of you, but I’m pissed off at you for putting yourself in that situation.’”

As he was sitting in the hospital getting treatment on his injured hand, Black recalled a nurse calling him a hero — a label that has repeatedly been applied to all three bystanders in recent days.

“I said I don’t feel like I’m a hero right now,” Black said. “I looked up and I was feeling for the family. So I started getting some tears in my eyes. And then she got tears in her eyes, too. It was just a moment of decompression at that point.”

Black said after the shooting he initially canceled plans to take his son on a college visit to South Carolina before reconsidering and going ahead with the trip.

“About an hour and a half later, as I was decompressing a little bit, I was on my couch, the TV, and I had my chocolate Lab next to me, and I started thinking that I’m not going to allow this shooter to change my life,” he said. “I’m not going to allow him to start, you know, dictating or making me afraid.”

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Casey reported from Boston.

PRESS RELEASE

BURLINGTON, Mass. — 908 Devices Inc., a pioneer of purpose-built handheld devices for chemical analysis, announces new capabilities for its handheld MX908 mass spectrometry device for trace chemical identification. These enhancements include an updated mission mode for hazardous vapor sampling and the addition of five priority drug targets, providing first responders with intelligence at the point of need for an informed, confident response.

The MX908 mission modes, which include Drug Hunter, Explosives Hunter, and CW (chemical warfare) Hunter, have matured into the most powerful and complete capabilities in the device, offering broader coverage and higher confidence in results. The device’s Hazard Survey mode originally provided users with a broad, but less detailed analysis, and is now replaced with TIC (toxic industrial chemical) Hunter as a dedicated mission mode for focused hazardous vapor detection. This new mode provides first responders with a more guided and purpose-built tool that delivers clearer, faster conclusions for real-world response scenarios.

To keep pace with an evolving illicit drug landscape, five drug targets have been added to the MX908, including medetomidine, a non-opioid, veterinary sedative that is often mixed with fentanyl. Also known as ‘rhino tranq’, medetomidine is estimated to be 200 times more potent than xylazine, another veterinary sedative, making even small amounts of the drug extremely dangerous to humans. First reported in the Philadelphia drug supply in mid2024, and spreading to other Eastern and Midwestern cities, this potent sedative causes severe withdrawal symptoms that often require intensive medical care.

Other drug targets added to MX908 include a synthetic cathinone, two synthetic cannabinoids and a benzodiazepine.

• Synthetic cathinone: N-isopropyl butylone, which has quickly emerged as the second most reported stimulant in the latter half of 2025, and is a Schedule I substance in the U.S.

• Synthetic cannabinoids: ADB-PINACA, a Schedule I substance, and MDMB-BINACA, which has been observed in the U.S., Canada, U.K., Europe, and Asia

• Benzodiazepine: Bromazolam, which is frequently found mixed with other drugs, including fentanyl

“These latest enhancements reinforce MX908’s unmatched capability for rapid trace chemical identification at the point of need,” said Trey Sieger, senior director of product management at 908 Devices. “By delivering fast, reliable results, MX908 equips law enforcement officers, military personnel, and hazmat teams with actionable intelligence they can trust to make critical decisions when every second counts.”

Customers can add these new capabilities to their MX908 device through a software update, available via the 908 Devices Customer Support Portal. The MX908 utilizes high-pressure mass spectrometry (HPMS) for chemical identification at trace levels with exceptional sensitivity and unmatched selectively, empowering first responders to make swift, informed decisions at the point of need. The MX908 is set apart by its ability to detect trace levels of drugs, explosives and other hazardous materials in all forms—solids, liquids, vapors and aerosols. For more information about the MX908, visit https://908devices.com/products/mx908/.

About 908 Devices

908 Devices is revolutionizing chemical analysis with its simple handheld devices, addressing life-altering applications. The Company’s devices are used at the point-of-need to interrogate unknown and invisible materials and provide quick, actionable answers in vital health, safety and defense tech applications, addressing the fentanyl and illicit drug crisis, toxic carcinogen exposure, and global security threats. The Company designs and manufactures innovative products that bring together the power of complementary analytical technologies, software automation, and machine learning. For more information, visit 908devices.com.

Forward Looking Statements for 908 Devices

This press release includes “forward looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements other than statements of historical facts are forward-looking statements, including, without limitation, statements regarding the expected uses and capabilities of the Company’s products. Words such as “may,” “will,” “expect,” “plan,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “intend” and similar expressions (as well as other words or expressions referencing future events, conditions or circumstances) are intended to identify forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are based on management’s current expectations and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and assumptions which may cause actual results to differ materially from any results expressed or implied by any forward-looking statement, including the risks outlined under “Risk Factors” in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the SEC) on March 7, 2025 and its subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q filed with the SEC and elsewhere in the Company’s filings with the SEC which are available on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov. Additional information will be made available in the Company’s Annual Reports and Quarterly Reports and other filings that it makes from time to time with the SEC. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in its forward-looking statements are reasonable, it cannot guarantee future results. The Company has no obligation, and does not undertake any obligation, to update or revise any forward-looking statement made in this press release to reflect changes since the date of this press release, except as may be required by law.

GADSDEN COUNTY, Fla. — A Florida Highway Patrol trooper died after suffering a medical emergency during an assessment exercise at the state law enforcement academy, WCTV reported.

Trooper Michael Diego was participating in a “competitive process” for FHP’s Criminal Interdiction Unit at the agency’s training academy when he became unresponsive, according to the report. Fellow troopers and Gadsden County EMS attempted lifesaving measures before he was airlifted to Tallahassee Memorial Hospital.

Despite their efforts, Diego died with family at his side, FHP said in a statement.

Diego joined the patrol in 2021 and had served for over four years, according to the report. He is the 55th trooper to die in the line of duty.

He is survived by his mother, sister and fiancée.

PRESS RELEASE

LAKESHIRE, Mo. — The Lakeshire Police Department has expanded its in-car video capabilities with the purchase of multiple ARSENAL in-car camera systems from 10-8 Video, reinforcing its commitment to reliable evidence capture and officer accountability.

The deployment includes four ARSENAL in-car systems, each equipped with multi-channel 1080p recording, front-facing low-light cameras, and dedicated infrared rear-seat cameras for prisoner transport monitoring. Wireless microphones and enhanced in-vehicle monitors support clear audio and video documentation during everyday patrol operations.

The ARSENAL platform is designed to automatically capture critical events using vehicle-based triggers, helping ensure video is recorded during traffic stops, transports, and other high-risk encounters without relying solely on manual activation, reducing the risk of missed or incomplete footage.

“Our goal is to provide agencies with dependable tools that work in real patrol conditions,” said Kyle Ragsdale, CSO of 10-8 Video. “The ARSENAL system is designed to deliver consistent, court-ready video while remaining straightforward for officers to operate during everyday patrol.”

As part of the deployment, Lakeshire Police Department retains full ownership of its video evidence. The system includes agency-controlled software, secure local storage options, and lifetime software and firmware updates, allowing the department to avoid recurring subscription costs while maintaining long-term system support.

The purchase reflects a growing trend among small and mid-sized law enforcement agencies toward integrated, vehicle-based video systems that emphasize reliability, data ownership, and predictable costs. The ARSENAL system is part of 10-8 Video’s broader focus on integrated, agency-controlled video solutions for law enforcement.

BURBANK, Calif. — A photo of Burbank Police Officer Parks holding a pair of French Bulldogs has gone viral, not for the dogs, but for the officer himself.

The department shared the Feb. 13 Instagram post after a call for service, noting that Parks “could not resist petting, holding and snapping a photo” with the dogs. The caption read, “Police officers love dogs.”

But the focus quickly shifted. Social media users flooded the comments section, not with remarks about the dogs, but with admiration for Officer Parks. The post has received over 200,000 likes and more than 3,000 comments.

Commenters joked about fake crimes to get the officer’s attention and claimed to be lost pets in need of rescue. One wrote, “I committed a crime, please come arrest me,” while another said, “I identify as a dog if Officer Parks wants to pick me up too.”

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The department acknowledged the post’s popularity, liking several of the humorous comments. BPD has not confirmed whether Officer Parks has responded to the unexpected attention.

A yellow weather warning has been issued for Northern Ireland as forecasters warn that outbreaks of rain, hill snow and strong winds could lead to travel disruption across the region today (Wednesday 18 February).

The Met Office warning is in force from 4am until 8pm and covers all six counties, with unsettled conditions expected to move slowly eastwards during the day before easing later in the evening.

According to the forecaster, periods of rain will fall as snow over higher ground, while strong southeasterly winds may gust between 45mph and 55mph in places, particularly during the morning hours.

The Met Office said the combination of wet weather, wintry precipitation on hills and gusty winds could result in difficult travelling conditions, longer journey times and some disruption to road and public transport services.

More broadly, the unsettled conditions form part of a changeable weather pattern affecting the UK this week, with Atlantic systems bringing spells of rain, wind and occasional snow, especially across northern and western areas.

Motorists are being advised to take extra care on the roads, particularly in exposed areas and higher routes where wintry conditions may develop, and to check the latest forecasts before travelling.