Third victim dies following shooting at Rhode Island hockey rink

A third victim has died following the February 16 shooting at a high school hockey game in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, with 75-year-old Gerald Dorgan succumbing to his injuries on February 25, 2026, according to the Pawtucket Police Department. The fatal incident occurred at the Dennis M. Lynch arena where 56-year-old Robert Dorgan, the gunman, targeted and killed his ex-wife Rhonda Dorgan and their 23-year-old son Aidan Dorgan in the stands during a game. Gerald Dorgan, Rhonda's father, was initially wounded in the attack that police described as stemming from a family dispute. The tragedy unfolded during senior night for the Blackstone Valley Schools cooperative hockey team, which was playing against the Coventry-Johnston cooperative team. In addition to the three fatalities, two other victims were injured: Linda Dorgan, Rhonda's mother, and Thomas Geruso, a family friend who serves as assistant principal at Charles E. Shea High School in Pawtucket. Both wounded individuals were reported to be in serious but stable condition as of Wednesday. Eyewitnesses described chaos as fans in the stands jumped into action to disarm the shooter, though the assailant possessed a second weapon and ultimately died by suicide at the scene. Pawtucket Mayor Donald R. Grebien expressed the community's devastation in a statement, saying, 'We are heartbroken to learn that another life has been lost as a result of last Monday's senseless shooting at Lynch Arena. Our thoughts and prayers remain with the victim's family, friends, and all those impacted by this tragic act of violence.' The shooting has sent shockwaves through the Pawtucket community, located approximately 45 miles south of Boston, and raised concerns about safety at sporting events. Authorities continue to investigate the motives behind the attack, which appears to have been a targeted domestic violence incident that tragically spilled into a public venue during a high school sporting event.