Rhode Island ice rink shooting suspect identified as transgender

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

Court records show that Robert Dorgan has been involved in multiple conflicts with relatives in recent years, including allegations that tensions escalated after he underwent sex reassignment surgery, according to WPRI.

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

Authorities said two victims were killed and the suspect died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Three others were injured and remain hospitalized.

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A suspect who allegedly shot two people Monday at a Rhode Island ice rink before killing himself had a history of family conflicts over his gender identity, a local media outlet reported, citing court documents. Police secure the perimeter outside Dennis M. Lynch Arena after a shooting during a high school hockey game in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, February 16, 2026. (Joseph Prezioso/AFP via Getty Images)

A federal law enforcement source told Fox News that the shooter killed his wife and shot three of his children before turning 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 sex reassignment surgery and said his stepfather wanted him to leave the family home because of it. Police identified the suspect by his birth name Robert Dorgan and said he also goes by the name “Roberta.”

According to court documents cited by WPRI, Dorgan alleged that his stepfather used a derogatory term for transgender people and threatened retaliation if he did not move out. The stepfather was then charged, but prosecutors later closed the case.

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

Court records also show that Dorgan’s wife initially cited “sex reassignment surgery, narcissistic traits and personality disorders” in divorce documents before the grounds were changed to “irreconcilable differences.” The divorce was finalized in 2021. Divorce records indicate that Dorgan was living in Jacksonville, Florida at the time and working as a truck driver.

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

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A heavy police presence was seen near an ICE arena in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, after a suspected shooting left several people injured on February 16, 2026. (WPRI)

The dispute was also mentioned in the conflict between Dorgan and his father-in-law. According to court documents, Dorgan told police that his stepfather “told me that if I did not drop the assault charges against my mother, further retaliation could be expected and that was another reason to get killed.”

Police have not said whether these past arguments were related to Monday’s violence, and investigators have not publicly identified a motive. Goncalves said the shooting “looked like a domestic dispute” and detectives were still working to establish a timeline.

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