The trans suspect who opened fire at a Rhode Island ice hockey rink on Monday killed his ex-wife and adult son, authorities said, while his daughter alleged he had a “vendetta” against the family.
Robert Dorgan, 56, fatally shot his ex-wife, Rhonda Dorgan, at the Dennis M. Lynch Arena in Pawtucket as well as his son Aidan Dorgan, who later died at the hospital, North Providence Mayor Charles Lombardi said, according to WCVB.
Three other victims were injured in the shooting, including Linda and Gerald Dorgan, who were the parents of Rhonda Dorgan. Both Linda and Gerald are currently hospitalized in critical condition, according to the outlet.
RHODE ISLAND ICE RINK SHOOTING SUSPECT’S GENDER IDENTITY WAS SOURCE OF PAST FAMILY CONFLICT: DOCS
The third victim was identified as Thomas Geruso, a friend of the Dorgan family, who is also in critical condition.
The shooter, who identified as transgender, died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, police said.
“I just want to make sure people understand this was one person’s vendetta against their family,” Amanda Wallace-Hubbard, Dorgan’s daughter, told WPRI-TV. “We were targeted. This was very specific. It wasn’t random.”
Wallace-Hubbard, Robert Dorgan’s daughter from another relationship, said she was with her two young sons and the rest of the family in the stands when the shooting occurred. She described Rhonda as her stepmother and Aidan as her half-brother.
She credited an unidentified good Samaritan with saving her life and those of her sons. The individual is seen tackling Robert Dorgan in footage from the shooting, per WPRI-TV.
“Until that good Samaritan incapacitated him, I really feared that my sons were next,” Wallace-Hubbard said.
“I can’t thank him enough,” she added. “I’m certain my sons and I are alive because of him.”
Colin Dorgan, the 17-year-old son of Robert and Rhonda Dorgan and a North Providence High School senior, was on the ice playing in the game when the shooting occurred, per WPRI-TV.
Video from inside the arena shows players diving and fans fleeing their seats as shots rang out during the high school game. At least a dozen shots can be heard in the footage, along with people screaming as they scramble for cover.
Police have not publicly identified a motive. Pawtucket Police Chief Tina Goncalves described the shooting as a “family dispute.”
An attorney for the Dorgan family said they are “deeply and profoundly affected” by the tragedy and are cooperating with authorities.
“We are reminded that behind every headline is a family experiencing profound pain and loss,” the statement said, per WCVB, adding that the family is focused on those injured and asking that further questions be directed to their attorney.
WATCH: PLAYERS AND FANS SCRAMBLE FOR COVER AFTER SHOOTING:
Investigators are continuing to review surveillance footage and witness accounts as they piece together a timeline of the shooting.
Court records show Robert Dorgan had a documented history of conflict with relatives in recent years, including disputes tied to his gender transition, WPRI reported.
In 2020, Robert Dorgan reported to North Providence police that he had undergone gender-reassignment surgery and said his father-in-law wanted him out of the family home because of it.
WATCH: PAWTUCKET POLICE RELEASE NEW DETAILS ABOUT RHODE ISLAND HOCKEY SHOOTING
According to court documents cited by WPRI, Robert Dorgan alleged his father-in-law used a derogatory term for transgender individuals and threatened retaliation if he did not move out. The father-in-law was charged at the time, though prosecutors later dismissed the case.
Court filings also show Robert Dorgan’s then-wife initially cited “gender reassignment surgery, narcissistic + personality disorder traits” in divorce paperwork before the grounds were amended to “irreconcilable differences.”
The divorce was finalized in 2021. Paperwork from the divorce showed Robert Dorgan lived at the time in Jacksonville, Florida, and was working as a truck driver.
Also in 2020, Robert 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 assault and battery and disorderly conduct, though the case was later dismissed, court records show.
The dispute was also referenced in Robert Dorgan’s conflict with his father-in-law. According to court documents, Dorgan told police his father-in-law “told me that if I did not drop the assault charges against my mother that further retaliation could be expected and that was another reason to have me killed.”
The day before the shooting, Robert Dorgan posted on X about going “BERSERK” after an actor insisted that Rep. Sarah McBride, D-Del., is a man.
Fox News’ Louis Casiano, Alexis McAdams and Bonny Chu contributed to this report.
