Police have identified the shooter of the Rhode Island family murder-suicide that took place in a hockey rink on Monday afternoon.
BREAKING:Pawtucket Police Chief confirms the suspect in the Hockey Arena Shooting is Robert Dorgan who was born male and also went by the name of ‘Roberta Esposito’. https://t.co/kvectNgX8j pic.twitter.com/lleHcvZPcY
— Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) February 17, 2026
“What I can say right now [is] that we have identified the person—the suspect—by a birth name,” Pawtucket Police Chief Tina Goncalves said in a press conference. “The birth name was Robert Dorgan. We have also learned that the person does go by the name Roberta [and] also uses the last name of Esposito.”
Local outlets previously reported that the shooter, now known to be Dorgan, was thought to be a man wearing women’s clothing. Speculation then grew online as those on social media raced to name the suspect. Many have identified a Rhode Island-based account promoting transgender ideology with a nearly identical name of "Roberta Dorgano" that threatened violence against conservatives for their anti-transgender beliefs just one day before the shooting took place.
Local news is reporting that the shooter at the hockey rink tonight was a man in women’s clothing pic.twitter.com/GnjA5H5nia
— Matt Walsh (@MattWalshBlog) February 17, 2026
keep bashing us. but do not wonder why we Go BERSERK
— Roberta Dorgano (@Tgirlcuda) February 15, 2026
stfu Alex
— Roberta Dorgano (@Tgirlcuda) February 15, 2026
dont be so butt hurtt over somebody different. then wonder why trans ppl go fkn BERSERK
Dorgan reportedly entered the rink where a family member was playing in a hockey game and opened fire on his family before turning the gun on himself. Audio from the incident indicated that 11 shots were fired while players and crowd members attempted to escape. An alternative angle shows a man attempting to wrestle Dorgan to the ground. Goncalves says that the heroic actions from the man likely saved lives.
JUST IN: The suspected shooter at the Rhode Island hockey arena was a father who "may have been dressed in women's clothing," according to a local news outlet.
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) February 17, 2026
Three people, including the man, are dead.
"NBC 10's Dan Jaehnig reported, citing a law enforcement source, that the… https://t.co/3SLAT4X2pG pic.twitter.com/4AFtD4O0YP
BREAKING: New footage shows moment shooting erupts at ice rink in Pawtucket, Rhode Island https://t.co/X84VKgPq66 pic.twitter.com/q8ldyzCIb4
— Rapid Report (@RapidReport2025) February 16, 2026
Three individuals are confirmed to be deceased, including the gunmen, with a further three in critical condition. One of the dead includes a “family friend” of Dorgan, according to police, and the other is assumed to be the wife of Dorgan.
One woman spoke to reporters after exiting a police station claiming to be Dorgan’s daughter, claiming that his mental health led to the heinous act, stating that, “He was very sick.”
🚨 BREAKING: The daughter of the Rhode Island hockey shooter reveals he was “VERY SICK” as local media reports he was “dressed as a woman”
— Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) February 17, 2026
Looks like we’ve got yet ANOTHER trans shooting!
WHEN ARE WE FINALLY GOING TO GET SERIOUS ABOUT TRANS VlOLENCE??! pic.twitter.com/Z8kZ5MLGMk
“My father was the shooter,” she said. “He shot my family and he’s dead now. He has mental health issues.”
No motive has been released by authorities, who say that the matter is still under investigation.
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