Rhode Island dad killed son, ex-wife and critically injured her parents during ice rink mass shooting, family reveals
‘I am reaching out to share the heartbreaking story,’ a family member wrote
A father killed his son and ex-wife while seriously wounding her parents during a mass shooting at a Rhode Island ice rink on Monday, his family revealed.
The shooting took place during a high school hockey game at the Dennis M. Lynch Arena in Pawtucket — located about five miles from Providence — leaving two dead and three others injured, officials said. The suspect, identified as 56-year-old Robert Dorgan, ultimately took his own life.
One of the suspect’s family members has since spoken out publicly, providing new details about the tragic incident.
“On behalf of my family, I am reaching out to share the heartbreaking story of my siblings, Ava and Colin Dorgan,” Amanda Wallace-Hubbard wrote in a GoFundMe fundraiser.
“We lost our beloved brother Aidan and their mother Rhonda, who was also my stepmother,” she wrote. “In addition to this unimaginable loss, their grandparents are currently in critical condition, fighting for their lives.”
Dorgan’s son Colin, a 17-year-old star high school athlete, was playing hockey in the rink when his father began shooting, according to The New York Post.
On Tuesday, police confirmed that Dorgan’s son and ex-wife had died and that three other victims remain in the hospital. They were identified as Rhonda's parents, Linda and Gerald Dorgan, and family friend Thomas Geruso. Goncalves added that the shooting took place during a “senior night” game, and that Dorgan had previously attended his son’s sporting events.
Colin and his sister now face a life without their parents and older brother, Wallace-Hubbard wrote, adding, “The weight of this loss is something no one should ever have to bear, especially at such young ages.”
The GoFundMe has currently raised about $77,000.
“We are deeply grateful for the outpouring of love and support from friends, family, and especially the hockey community,” Wallace-Hubbard continued. “Your kindness and generosity have given us strength and hope when we need it most.”
Prior to Monday’s mass shooting, Dorgan, who also went by the name “Roberta,” had undergone gender reassignment surgery and struggled with family issues, The Independent previously reported.
Familial disputes began to arise following Dorgan’s 2020 surgery. At the time, he made a complaint to police that his father-in-law had reacted negatively to the operation and had threatened to murder him using “an Asian street gang.”
Court records indicate that the father-in-law was later charged with witness intimidation among other charges, though these were later dismissed. Police records also show that Dorgan’s mother was accused of assault and acting in a “violent, threatening or tumultuous manner.” Her case was also tossed out.
Amidst the infighting, Dorgan’s marriage fell apart.
His then-wife, Rhonda, cited “gender reassignment surgery, narcissistic + personality disorder traits” when filing for divorce. However, these reasons were ultimately removed from the paperwork and replaced with “irreconcilable differences which have caused the immediate breakdown of the marriage.” The divorce became official in 2021.
At the time, the divorce paperwork indicated that Dorgan was working as a truck driver and living in Jacksonville, Florida, according to WPRI.
Following the fatal shooting on Monday, Pawtucket Police Chief Tina Goncalves held a press conference to provide details about the incident. She said that an individual tried to bring an end to the violence by intervening and attempting to subdue the shooter, who ended up taking his own life.
Goncalves added that police were still working to ascertain the facts, but noted that it appeared to be targeted and that it may have resulted from “a family dispute.”
Rhode Island Governor Dan McKee also issued a statement, saying, “Our state is grieving again.”
“As Governor, a parent, and a former coach, my heart breaks for the victims, families, students, and everyone impacted by the devastating shooting at Lynch Arena in Pawtucket,” he said on Monday.
The The Rhode Island Coalition Against Domestic Violence, a non-profit, rejected the characterization of the shooting as “a family dispute.”
“Although early reports have described this as a `family dispute,’ we must be clear: this is domestic violence,” the group’s executive director said in a statement. “Domestic violence is not a private matter. It is a serious crime that impacts children, extended families, workplaces, schools, and entire communities.”
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