Shooting at Rhode Island Skating Rink

Two individuals wounded in a shooting at a skating rink in Rhode Island on Tuesday are reported to be in critical condition and, as sources indicate, “fighting for their lives.”

Robert Dorgan, 56, who identifies as transgender and has experienced familial conflict over gender identity issues, allegedly shot and killed his ex-wife, Rhonda, and their son, Aidan, before also fatally attacking his in-laws. This violence erupted during a high school hockey game at the Dennis M. Lynch Arena in Pawtucket.

Witnesses shared that Dorgan took his own life following the incident. Pawtucket’s Police Chief, Tina Gonsalves, highlighted the role of “good Samaritans” who tried to intervene and subdue the shooter during the chaotic scene. “A good Samaritan barged in and intervened, which likely helped to bring this tragic event to a quicker end,” she remarked.

In addition to Aidan, Dorgan’s two other children are now left without their parents: one is a high school hockey player, while the other is pursuing a nursing degree.

Sources close to the family mentioned that Dorgan transitioned in 2020, adopting the name Roberta. That same year, she reported to the police that her stepfather had sought to evict her from her parents’ home due to her transition.

Dorgan sometimes attended hockey games dressed in women’s clothing, including fitted tops and denim shorts, which may have added to the surrounding tensions within the family.

Interestingly, Dorgan’s ex-wife initially cited issues related to gender reassignment surgery and personality traits in her divorce filing, although these grounds were later changed to “irreconcilable differences.” The divorce was finalized in 2021, with Dorgan listed as residing in Jacksonville, Florida, at that time.