A shooting at the Dennis M. Lynch Arena in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, during a youth hockey game on March 18, 2024, resulted in the deaths of three individuals, including the suspected shooter. The incident occurred during a senior day game between co-op teams, shattering what was meant to be a celebratory occasion. Three others sustained critical injuries, with reports indicating that one of the deceased was the suspect’s son.
Witnesses described a scene of panic and confusion as shots rang out. Olin Lawrence, a player for Coventry, recounted his experience during the chaos. “I thought it was balloons at first. It was like, bop bop, and I thought it was balloons, but it just kept going and it was actually gunshots,” he said. Lawrence and his teammates quickly fled to the locker room, where they sought refuge by barricading themselves against the door.
Branden Mello, sports editor for the Woonsocket Call and Pawtucket Times, was also present at the rink. “I just thought it was balloons popping because it was senior day, but one of the other people who was in the box with me said, ‘That’s gunfire, get down,’” Mello recalled. He witnessed the suspect firing from the bleachers, leading to widespread panic as attendees ran for safety.
Amidst the turmoil, a man in the stands is credited with intervening to potentially save lives. Mello reported that a North Smithfield father, attending the event to support the seniors, confronted the shooter. “According to other people, he grabbed the first gun. I would assume that that wasn’t the plan for that person was to have that gun taken away from them, so I would think that that North Smithfield parent saved a life,” Mello stated.
Pawtucket Police Chief Tina Goncalves acknowledged the actions of the bystander, emphasizing how their intervention contributed to a “swift end to this tragic event.” Late on the same day, Goncalves identified the suspect as Robert Dorgan, also known as Roberta Esposito. Sources confirmed that Dorgan was the father of a senior player involved in the game.
The police chief indicated that the incident appeared to stem from a family dispute, describing it as a targeted act of violence. “It appears that this was a targeted event, that it may be a family dispute,” Goncalves noted.
Although the shooting lasted less than a minute, the emotional and psychological scars will linger for those who witnessed it. Mello expressed his concern for the young players, stating, “Kids I talked to, their faces… I just feel horrible for them, like those kids’ childhoods were taken away from them by what happened today.”
The arena, which was filled with families from various cities and towns, has become a site of mourning, with flowers placed near the rink in memory of the victims. The community is left grappling with the aftermath of an event that transformed a day of celebration into tragedy.
