Rhode Island ice rink shooting suspect identified as transgender

A suspect accused of shooting and killing two people at a Rhode Island ice rink on Monday before killing himself was transgender and had a history of family conflict over gender identity, a local news outlet reported, citing court documents.

Court records show that Robert Dorgan has been involved in numerous disputes with relatives in recent years; This includes allegations that tensions increased after he underwent gender reassignment surgery. WPRI.

Dorgan, 56, is accused of opening fire at Dennis M. Lynch Arena in Pawtucket during a hockey game between Coventry and Blackstone Valley Schools in what police described as a “family dispute,” Pawtucket Police Chief Tina Goncalves said at a news conference Monday.

Authorities said two victims were killed and the suspect died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Three other people were also injured and are receiving treatment in hospital.

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A federal law enforcement source told Fox News that the gunman killed his wife and shot his three children, then turned the gun on himself in what the source described as a domestic violence incident.

In 2020, Dorgan reported to North Providence police that he had undergone gender reassignment surgery, which is why his father-in-law wanted to evict him from the family home. Police identified the suspect by his birth name, Robert Dorgan, and said he also used the name “Roberta.”

According to court documents cited by WPRI, Dorgan claimed that his father-in-law used a derogatory term for transgender people and threatened retaliation if he did not leave him. His father-in-law was charged at the time, but prosecutors later dismissed the case.

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Police vehicles respond outside Dennis M. Lynch Arena following a shooting during a high school hockey game in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, on February 16, 2026. Authorities said two people were killed and three others were injured in what they described as a domestic dispute. (Joseph Prezioso/AFP via Getty Images)

Court records also show that Dorgan’s then-wife initially cited “gender reassignment surgery, narcissistic + personality disorder traits” in divorce papers, and the reasons were changed to “irreconcilable differences.” The divorce was finalized in 2021. Divorce records show Dorgan was living in Jacksonville, Florida, and working as a truck driver at the time.

Also in 2020, Dorgan accused his mother of attacking him and acting in a “violent, threatening or turbulent manner,” according to police records cited by WPRI. Her mother was charged with simple assault, battery and disorderly conduct, but the case was later dismissed, according to court records.

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Heavy police presence was seen near an ICE arena in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, following an alleged shooting that injured multiple people on February 16, 2026. (WPRI)

The dispute also referred to Dorgan’s disagreement with his father-in-law. According to court documents, Dorgan told police that his father-in-law “told me that if I didn’t drop the assault charges against my mother, there might be more retaliation, which was another reason to have me killed.”

Police did not say whether the past disputes were connected to Monday’s violence, and investigators did not publicly identify a motive. Goncalves said the attack “appears to be a family dispute” and detectives are still trying to establish a timeline.

Fox News’ Louis Casiano, Alexis McAdams and Bonny Chu contributed to this report.