Trans Identified Gunman Opens Fire at Youth Hockey Game in Rhode Island, Killing Ex Wife and Son
Trans identified gunman Robert Dorgan opened fire at a Rhode Island youth hockey game, killing his ex wife and son before taking his own life.
Rhode Island Hockey Rink Shooting: What We Know About Trans Identified Gunman Robert Dorgan and the Pawtucket Attack
On Monday, February 16, 2026, a gunman opened fire during a youth hockey game at the Dennis M. Lynch Arena in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, killing two people and injuring three others before turning the gun on himself.
The shooter was identified as 56 year old Robert Dorgan, who also went by the names Roberta Esposito and Roberta Dorgano. Law enforcement confirmed Dorgan publicly identified as transgender.
Police described the attack as a "targeted event" rooted in a family dispute. Dorgan killed his ex wife, Rhonda Dorgan, and their 23 year old son, Aidan Dorgan. Three others were critically wounded: Rhonda's parents, Linda and Gerald Dorgan, and a family friend, Thomas Geruso.
The shooting occurred in front of dozens of spectators, including children, during a game between Coventry and Blackstone Valley Schools. The attack was partially captured on a livestream of the game.
Court documents from the couple's 2020 divorce proceedings reveal that Rhonda Dorgan initially cited her husband's "gender reassignment surgery" and "narcissistic personality disorder traits" as reasons for the split. The filing was later amended to state "irreconcilable differences." The divorce was finalized in 2021.
Pawtucket Police Chief Tina Goncalves characterized the event as stemming from a "family dispute," though investigators had not publicly identified a specific motive at the time of reporting.
He deliberately targeted family members.
Bystanders at the arena rushed to intervene as the shooting unfolded. Dorgan pulled out a second firearm before dying from a self inflicted gunshot wound.
The attack came within one week of another mass shooting in western Canada, where a male identifying as female killed at least nine people at a high school. A previous incident in August 2025 involved a 23 year old identifying as female who opened fire during a Minneapolis church service, killing two children and wounding 19 others.
Pawtucket Ice Rink Mass Shooting: Trans Gunman Robert Dorgan Kills Ex Wife and Son at Youth Hockey Game
Rhode Island Governor Dan McKee ordered flags lowered to half staff in honor of the victims. A candlelight vigil was held the following evening at Slatersville Congregational Church in North Smithfield, where community members gathered to mourn and pray for the victims and their families.
The Crusader's Opinion
Three mass shootings in less than a year, all committed by individuals identifying as transgender, and the mainstream media still refuses to have the uncomfortable conversation. A church in Minneapolis. A school in Canada. Now a youth hockey game in Rhode Island, where children watched a man murder his own family in cold blood. If these shooters had been Christian men, every headline in America would be screaming about "right wing extremism." But when the common thread points in another direction, silence. The media's selective outrage is itself a form of evil. We must name what is happening. Mental illness is being celebrated instead of treated. Ideology is replacing therapy. And innocent people, including children, are paying with their lives. Pray for the Dorgan family. Pray for Pawtucket. And demand honesty from those who claim to care about public safety.
Take Action
- Pray for the Dorgan family and all victims of the Pawtucket shooting. Lift up Linda, Gerald, and Thomas who remain in critical condition.
- Contact your state legislators and urge them to prioritize mental health intervention and threat assessment programs in domestic violence cases. Find your representatives at usa.gov/elected-officials.
- Support families of victims of violence through The Shepherd's Shield, which provides direct aid to persecuted and suffering Christians.
- Donate to the American Red Cross to support emergency assistance for communities affected by mass violence.
- Talk to your church leadership about developing or strengthening a security plan for your congregation. Share resources from the Faith Based Security Network.
