Police identify suspected gunman who targeted family members in Rhode Island hockey rink shooting which killed two

Local police person identified a gunman suspected of targeting family members successful a mass shooting at an indoor crystal rink successful Rhode Island that has near astatine slightest 2 dormant and aggregate others injured.

Chaos erupted astatine nan Dennis M. Lynch Arena successful Pawtucket, adjacent Providence, connected Monday astatine astir 2:30 p.m. section time, arsenic gunfire rang retired during a precocious schoolhouse hockey game.

“It appears that a lone individual, nan suspect, entered nan arena to watch nan lucky crippled of a family member, and unluckily during that time, a shooting occurred,” Pawtucket Police Chief Tina Goncalves told reporters Monday evening.

Goncalves identified nan suspected shooter’s commencement sanction arsenic Robert Dorgan. The fishy goes “by nan sanction of Roberta, besides uses a past of Esposito,” and was calved successful 1969, Goncalves added.

Goncalves said a “good samaritan stepped successful and interjected successful this segment and that’s astir apt what led to a swift extremity of this tragic event.”

Aside from nan victims who died, 3 much were injured and are presently successful captious condition, constabulary said.

“An enactment of senseless unit has taken nan lives of 2 guiltless victims pinch nan fishy taking his ain life,” Pawtucket Mayor Don Grebien told reporters Monday night.

The suspected shooter died of an evident self-inflicted gunshot wound, according to authorities. It wasn’t instantly clear what led to nan shooting.

“It seems that this is simply a targeted arena and it whitethorn person been a family dispute,” Pawtucket Police Chief Tina Goncalves told reporters earlier Monday. She later added that a family friend was besides progressive successful nan incident.

Local outlet WPRI reported that nan begetter of a North Providence High School elder changeable 5 family members. A female told WCVB-TV that nan suspected shooter was her father.

Authorities said firearms were recovered astatine nan arena but wouldn’t corroborate really galore firearms nan fishy had.

State constabulary officers were seen extracurricular nan crystal rink down crime segment portion earlier Monday.

There were besides FBI agents astatine nan scene, according to nan agency’s section agency successful Boston.

FBI Director Kash Patel wrote connected X that FBI Boston was responding to nan shooting, adding, “We will supply authorities and section rule enforcement immoderate and each resources basal and support nan nationalist updated arsenic we are able.

“In nan meantime please believe for nan victims and their families.”

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives besides responded to nan shooting, according to its Boston Field Division.

The shooting happened during a lucky crippled betwixt 2 section co-op teams: Coventry-Johnston and St. Raphael-Providence Country Day-North Providence-North Smithfield.

A Walgreens worker told WPRI that panicked patrons came into nan adjacent drugstore saying location was a shooting. The police were called, according to nan employee.

One lucky subordinate from Coventry Public Schools told reporters that nan shooting was “very scary.”

The student was connected nan crystal erstwhile shots rang out. He past rushed into nan locker room.

"We pressed against nan doorway and conscionable tried to enactment safe down successful there. It was very scary. We were very nervous," he said, per CBS Boston. "It was a batch of shots."

WJAR shared a clip from a livestream that it says was taken during nan lucky crippled astatine nan Dennis M. Lynch Arena. In nan video, gunshots were fired, prompting players to quickly skate disconnected nan crystal to safety.

The Independent has reached retired to authorities to verify nan video. A typical for nan City of Providence confirmed to The Independent that nan video was taken from nan arena.

Goncalves asked for nan public’s thief successful nan investigation by giving accusation to nan Pawtucket Police Department.

“Any recordings that they whitethorn have, because evidently group were recording, their kids were connected nan ice...provide those to nan constabulary department,” nan main said.

Coventry and Johnston schoolhouse districts said that each of their students are believed to beryllium safe.

"All students from nan Coventry Boys Hockey squad who were coming astatine an incident astatine Lynch Arena successful Pawtucket person been accounted for and are safe,” Coventry's superintendent, Don Cowart, said successful a connection shared by WJAR.

Johnston Public Schools said, per WJAR, “We person confirmed that our Johnston High School student-athlete who was participating successful nan crippled is safe. We are besides alert of different Johnston student who was successful attendance, and that student is safe arsenic well.

“At this time, to nan champion of our knowledge, nary Johnston High School students were harmed during this incident."

Providence Country Day School wrote connected an Instagram communicative that it was “shocked and saddened” by nan shooting, adding that each students, parents and unit who were astatine nan crippled are safe.

Joseph Goho, nan superintendent of North Providence Public Schools, said successful a connection shared by NBC10 Boston, “All students progressive successful nan crippled are safe.”

"Our thoughts and prayers spell retired to those progressive successful this tragic incident," Goho said.

St. Raphael Academy, North Smithfield and North Providence officials besides said their students were safe, per WJAR.

The Providence Bruins, nan American Hockey League connection of nan National Hockey League’s Boston Bruins, saidtin an online connection their “thoughts are pinch each those affected by nan tragic events astatine nan High School Hockey crippled astatine Dennis M. Lynch Arena successful Pawtucket today.”

Rhode Island Governor Dan McKee said successful a video message posted to X, “Our authorities is grieving again. As governor, a genitor and a erstwhile coach my bosom breaks for nan victims, families, and everyone impacted by nan devastating shooting astatine Lynch Arena successful Pawtucket.”

The shooting comes 2 months aft a wide shooting astatine Brown University successful Providence that near 2 students dormant and 9 others injured.