Rhode Island
What we know about the Rhode Island hockey game shooter
Police have identified the suspect accused of killing two people and critically injuring three others at an ice rink in Pawtucket, Rhode Island.
Rhode Island shooting at hockey game leaves two dead
At least two people are dead after a shooting at a high school hockey game in Pawtucket, Rhode Island.
Police have identified the suspect accused of killing two people and critically injuring three others in a Feb. 16 shooting at an ice rink in Pawtucket, Rhode Island.
At the time of the shooting, a boys hockey game was being played. A video acquired by the Providence Journal, part of the USA TODAY Network, from a service that offers live-streaming of sports events shows what appears to be a burst of roughly 13 shots in 6 seconds, and then one final shot, 11 seconds later, coming from an area off camera. It takes several shots before spectators and student athletes alike react, ducking down and seeking shelter before fleeing toward the exits.
Police have not identified any of the victims, but said that the shooting was “targeted” and appeared to be a family dispute.
Who was the shooter?
Pawtucket Police Chief Tina Goncalves said the shooting that broke out during a high school hockey game at the Dennis M. Lynch Arena was targeted and appeared to be a family dispute. Goncalves identified the shooter as Robert Dorgan, 56, who also went by the name Roberta Esposito.
Goncalves repeatedly declined to give more information about the suspect, who died at the arena from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, or those targeted in the shooting, citing the privacy of the victims and the scope of the investigation.
Public records indicate that the shooter moved to Jacksonville, Florida in 2020. Court records show that the shooter’s wife filed for divorce that same year, citing irreconcilable differences.
Under grounds for divorce, Rhonda Dorgan wrote “Gender reassignment surgery, Narcissistic + personality disorder traits” and then crossed that out and wrote “irreconcilable differences which caused the irremediable breakdown of the marriage.”
The Dorgans were married in Rehoboth, Massachusetts in 1992 and their divorce was finalized in 2021, according to court records.
Court records indicate that the shooter was living in Maine as of 2022.
This story has been updated to add new information.
Contributing: Eryn Dion, Mark Reynolds and Paul Edward Parker, Providence Journal
(WJAR) — Thirty-two years ago was the commissioning of a Navy submarine named after the Ocean State.
Maria Stephanos was on board the USS Rhode Island on July 9, 1994.
Rhode Island was the Navy’s 15th Trident class ballistic submarine.
It was commissioned in Newport and was the first to be christened in its namesake state.
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WJAR) — They come from all walks of life, including many professionals in the community, taking time out of their busy days to welcome students to school with enthusiasm and handshakes.
“We learn a lot of new handshakes, too,” Kobi Dennis said. “High-fives. Pounds with an explosion. We get a little bit of everything.”
It’s the Handshake Initiative, the brainchild of now Central Falls Police Chief Anthony Roberson.
Everybody can use some encouragement, and students in Rhode Island get that the minute they head toward the school building.
Initially, the students and parents didn’t know what to think.
“I was confused because I thought it was going to be a normal day,” said one student.
“Their parents were getting out of their cars trying to see what’s going on,” Reservoir Avenue School Principal Cynthia Torres said.
But now, they crave it.
“It makes me feel motivated,” another student said.
Dennis adds in an etiquette component.
“Teaching the kids how to shake hands, look one another in the eyes with a firm grip — girl or guy — firm grip and say ‘hello’ and introduce yourself, that’s part of the initiative as well,” Dennis said.
Providence school superintendent Dr. Javier Montañez said it sends a strong message.
“We hear you, we see you, and we’re here for you,” Montañez said.
Torres strategically uses them on standardized test days.
“They say, ‘I’m going to do really good today,’” she said.
“It makes me feel encouraged to do better in school,” a student said.
They’ve connected with thousands of students across Rhode Island.
“It’s about shaking hands and building relationships, but it’s also about letting young people know that there are professionals in the community cheering for them every single day,” Dennis said.
Do you know of a nonprofit organization or volunteers doing great work in your community? Fill out a short nomination form for “Community Treasures.”
A man was critically hurt in a stabbing in Providence on Tuesday, NBC affiliate WJAR-TV reports.
Police were first called to Smith Street around 7 p.m. for the reported stabbing. They found the victim on Chalkstone Avenue.
He was taken to the hospital where he remains in critical condition.
The case remains under investigation and no arrests were announced.
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