Police identified the shooter involved in a deadly assault inside a hockey rink in Rhode Island and credited a good Samaritan for helping to stop the attack.Three people, including the suspected gunman, are dead and officials said three others were injured in the shooting that happened during a scheduled hockey game at the Dennis M. Lynch Arena in Pawtucket, two miles from the Rhode Island-Massachusetts border. According to Pawtucket Police Chief Tina Goncalves, the shooting may have been domestic in nature, as the victims included members of the suspect’s family and a family friend. Investigators believe the shooter fatally shot himself after the incident, Goncalves said.”A good Samaritan stepped in and interjected in the scene and that’s probably what led to a swift end of this tragic event,” Goncalves said.Goncalves later said the shooter, born in 1969, was born as Robert Dorgan, but also uses the name Roberta and the surname Esposito.More than one weapon was recovered from the scene, the chief also said.Video below: Police chief says bystander intervened in hockey game shootingTwo teams made up of students from multiple schools were playing in hockey games at the arena when the shooting took place. One of the schools was celebrating Senior Night, which honors senior student-athletes and their families during what is usually the final game of the season.All of the schools involved in the game confirmed that their students and players were not injured in the shooting.One woman and her son said they were in the stands when they heard the gunshots.”After four shots, we saw everybody hitting the ground,” she said. “The first thing I thought was where’s my kid? I turned around, I looked toward the stands and he was there and I was just screaming at him to get down. I went back in to see where he was and I saw them doing CPR in the stands. It was really disturbing.”Students in many school districts in the area are currently on February break. A 16-year-old goalie for one of the teams said he was on the ice when shots rang out.”I’m overwhelmed, but trying to stay calm,” he said. “You don’t know what it feels like until you’re in it.”In the wake of the shooting, the Rhode Island Interscholastic League announced that it was temporarily suspending all games “out of respect for the victims and to reflect upon this senseless act of violence.”Video below: Hockey players raced across ice after shots fired in arenaA bus filled with hockey players, parents and family members who were inside the arena at the time of the shooting was taken to the Pawtucket Police Headquarters. Mayor Donald Grebien said investigators had conducted about 100 interviews in the hours after the incident.A woman who was leaving the Pawtucket Police Department after the shooting told sister station WCVB that her father was the shooter.”My father was the shooter,” she said, without giving her name. “He shot my family, and he’s dead now.”She also said, “He has mental health issues.” Later Monday evening, investigators were seen towing a white van from the parking lot outside the arena.FBI Director Kash Patel confirmed that the agency was assisting state and local police in the shooting investigation.
Police identified the shooter involved in a deadly assault inside a hockey rink in Rhode Island and credited a good Samaritan for helping to stop the attack.
Three people, including the suspected gunman, are dead and officials said three others were injured in the shooting that happened during a scheduled hockey game at the Dennis M. Lynch Arena in Pawtucket, two miles from the Rhode Island-Massachusetts border.
According to Pawtucket Police Chief Tina Goncalves, the shooting may have been domestic in nature, as the victims included members of the suspect’s family and a family friend. Investigators believe the shooter fatally shot himself after the incident, Goncalves said.
“A good Samaritan stepped in and interjected in the scene and that’s probably what led to a swift end of this tragic event,” Goncalves said.
Goncalves later said the shooter, born in 1969, was born as Robert Dorgan, but also uses the name Roberta and the surname Esposito.
More than one weapon was recovered from the scene, the chief also said.
Video below: Police chief says bystander intervened in hockey game shooting
Two teams made up of students from multiple schools were playing in hockey games at the arena when the shooting took place.
One of the schools was celebrating Senior Night, which honors senior student-athletes and their families during what is usually the final game of the season.
All of the schools involved in the game confirmed that their students and players were not injured in the shooting.
One woman and her son said they were in the stands when they heard the gunshots.
“After four shots, we saw everybody hitting the ground,” she said. “The first thing I thought was where’s my kid? I turned around, I looked toward the stands and he was there and I was just screaming at him to get down. I went back in to see where he was and I saw them doing CPR in the stands. It was really disturbing.”
Students in many school districts in the area are currently on February break.
A 16-year-old goalie for one of the teams said he was on the ice when shots rang out.
“I’m overwhelmed, but trying to stay calm,” he said. “You don’t know what it feels like until you’re in it.”
In the wake of the shooting, the Rhode Island Interscholastic League announced that it was temporarily suspending all games “out of respect for the victims and to reflect upon this senseless act of violence.”
Video below: Hockey players raced across ice after shots fired in arena
A bus filled with hockey players, parents and family members who were inside the arena at the time of the shooting was taken to the Pawtucket Police Headquarters. Mayor Donald Grebien said investigators had conducted about 100 interviews in the hours after the incident.
A woman who was leaving the Pawtucket Police Department after the shooting told sister station WCVB that her father was the shooter.
“My father was the shooter,” she said, without giving her name. “He shot my family, and he’s dead now.”
She also said, “He has mental health issues.”
Later Monday evening, investigators were seen towing a white van from the parking lot outside the arena.
FBI Director Kash Patel confirmed that the agency was assisting state and local police in the shooting investigation.
