'Mentally sick' trans person Roberta Esposito identified as Rhode Island hockey arena shooting suspect | All we know - In Pics

A high school hockey tournament in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, turned into a scene of panic Monday (Feb 16) afternoon when gunfire erupted inside the Lynch Arena. The Pawtucket Police Department later revealed that a father opened fire in the stands during a game, killing two people and critically injuring three others before taking his own life. This, they said, happened over a "family dispute".

Authorities later on Monday identified the gunman as 56-year-old Robert Dorgan. During a late-night press briefing, Pawtucket Police Chief Tina Goncalves said investigators also learned that Dorgan went by a female name, Roberta Esposito.

"We have identified the person, the suspect, by a birth name, the birth name was Robert Dorgan," Goncalves said. "We have also learned that the person does go by the name of Roberta, also uses a last name of Esposito."

According to a statement released by the Pawtucket Police Department 56-year-old Robert Dorgan, who also went by the female name Roberta Esposito, was the parent of a North Providence High School senior participating in the tournament.

According to reports, a woman leaving the Pawtucket police station earlier in the day identified the shooter as her father and said he struggled with serious 'mental health issues' and was 'very sick'.

"He shot my family, and he’s dead now," she told reporters. However, she did not elaborate on Roberta Esposito's mental health struggles.

Investigators say the shooter initially sat near the back of the stands on the home team's side before moving closer to the front and opening fire. According to local reports, the victims included four family members and a family friend.

The mother of Dorgan's child died at the arena, while a child of hers later died at a hospital. Three others remain in critical condition. The victims are yet to be identified.

The Pawtucket Police Department credited a bystander with trying to stop the attacker. Chief Goncalves described the individual as a "Good Samaritan" who attempted to subdue Dorgan after the shooting began.

Witnesses also reported that at least one bystander attempted to intervene during the shooting, wrestling a firearm away from the suspect. However, according to local sports editor Branden Mello, the gunman reportedly "had a second weapon". Both weapons were recovered at the scene.

A livestream of the hockey match captured the moment as players sitting on the bench scrambled to escape, some abandoning their skates in the rush. Others climbed over the rink barrier and ran toward the locker rooms for safety. Families in the crowd fled toward exits as confusion spread through the building.

The chaos unfolded around families, students, and players attending the tournament. Witnesses described spectators diving for cover, rushing toward exits, and trying to help the wounded as the situation unfolded in seconds.