Rhode Island Interscholastic League suspended as transgender shooter Robert Dorgan kills ex wife and son at hockey game

A high school hockey game in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, turned into a scene of horror on Monday night. Aidan Dorgan, 23, and his mother, Rhonda Dorgan, 52, were shot and killed inside Lynch Arena.

Police say the shooter was Robert Dorgan, 56, who also went by the name Roberta Esposito. Officers say he later took his own life at the scene. The game was part of the Rhode Island Interscholastic League schedule. Players, families, and students were inside the rink when the violence broke out. Rhonda Dorgan died at the arena. Aidan Dorgan was rushed to a nearby hospital, where doctors later pronounced him dead.Two other family members, Aidan’s grandparents, were hurt in the attack.

According to a GoFundMe page set up by Rhonda’s stepdaughter Amanda Wallace-Hubbard, they are in critical condition and fighting for their lives. Rhonda’s youngest son, Colin Dorgan, 17, was playing in the game and saw the shooting happen from the ice. Police said Tuesday that the motive is still under investigation. Pawtucket Police Chief Tina Goncalves told reporters she believes the shooting was targeted and may have come from a family dispute.

Rhode Island Interscholastic League suspends games after Robert Dorgan kills Rhonda Dorgan and Aidan Dorgan at Lynch Arena

By Tuesday morning, the Rhode Island Interscholastic League announced that games would be postponed. Executive Director Michael Lunney released a public statement.“Our thoughts are with the victims, their families, and all those affected by this horrific event,” Michael Lunney said. He also called it a “senseless act of violence.” He added, “We are actively working with our member schools and have been in contact with the Governor’s Office, the Rhode Island Department of Education, and other community leaders to provide aid and support.”As the community tries to understand what happened, more details have come out. An online profile believed to belong to Robert Dorgan shared troubling posts in the days before the shooting. One video showed a woman running on a treadmill while loading ammunition magazines into a handgun and aiming it. In another post on X under the name “Roberta Dorgano,” the account warned it would go “BERSERK” while defending transgender Congresswoman Sarah McBride.

The post read, “Keep bashing us. But do not wonder why we Go BESERK.”Police have not confirmed the full background of those posts. Investigators are still reviewing online activity and speaking with witnesses.Meanwhile, the focus remains on the family. Colin Dorgan and his sister Ava, a 20-year-old nursing student, are grieving the loss of their mother and brother. On the GoFundMe page, Amanda Wallace-Hubbard wrote, “The weight of this loss is something no one should ever have to bear, especially at such young ages.” She added, “Despite the pain, Ava and Colin are determined to continue their education and build a life that honors the memory of our loved ones.” The rink is now quiet, the league has paused games and a community is left trying to heal after a night that no one expected.