The suspect who opened fire at a skating rink in Rhode Island on Monday, in what has been described as a “targeted” shooting, has been identified as a disturbed man pretending to be a woman.
Robert Dorgan, 46, opened fire at a high school hockey game at the Dennis M. Lynch Arena, a skating rink in Pawtucket, shooting four family members and a family friend before killing himself.
Three people died, including Dorgan. The rest were injured, several critically.
*Graphic content*
‼️‼️ Shooting at Pawtucket, RI Ice Skating Rink.
2 Dead. 4 Injured.
— Maine (@TheMaineWonk) February 16, 2026
Pawtucket Police Chief Tina Goncalves announced at a press conference late Monday that Dorgan was “transgender.”
“We have identified the person, the suspect, by a birth name, the birth name was Robert Dorgan,” she said. “We have also learned that the person goes by the name of Roberta and also uses the last name of Esposito.”
Police Identify Rhode Island Hockey Rink Shooter as Transgender Woman Roberta Esposito (Birth Name: Robert Dorgan)
In a press conference, Pawtucket Police Chief Tina Goncalves identified the suspect in Monday’s deadly shooting at Dennis M. Lynch Arena as Robert Dorgan, 56, pic.twitter.com/n7L8PlDhtf
— Citizen Journalism (@LivinHeroes) February 17, 2026
According to Providence station WPRI, Dorgan attended the game Monday to see his son, a North Providence High School senior, compete.
It’s not yet clear what triggered the shooting, though the police have described it as a domestic dispute.
Dorgan underwent some form of “gender reassignment surgery” in 2020, the year that his ex-wife (who was reportedly the second deceased person Monday) filed for divorce on account of his surgery, in addition to his “narcissistic + personality disorder traits.”
In 2020, Robert “Roberta” Dorgan’s wife filed for divorce. Under the reasons, she wrote, “gender reassignment surgery, narcissistic + personality disorder traits.” It was crossed out and replaced with “irreconcilable differences.”
Dorgan’s mass shooting in Rhode Island at the… pic.twitter.com/Uar3aFCqFI
— Andy Ngo (@MrAndyNgo) February 17, 2026
His transgender status caused difficulties in his marriage and family life.
One time, Dorgan went to the police, complaining that his father-in-law was trying to kick him out of their shared home because of his status as a transgender person.
He told the police that his father-in-law threatened to “have him murdered by an Asian street gang if he did not move out of the residence,” according to court documents reviewed by WPRI.
His father-in-law also reportedly used a slur for trans people. The charges against the father-in-law were eventually dismissed.
Robert Dorgan belonged in an asylum
But because it is “offensive” to do that, he was able to go out and kiII his own family during a school hockey game today pic.twitter.com/FBsCOUxzEP
— End Wokeness (@EndWokeness) February 17, 2026
That same year, Dorgan accused his own mother of assaulting him and acting in a “violent, threatening, or tumultuous manner.” She was subsequently charged with simple assault and battery, in addition to disorderly conduct.
However, Dorgan then told the cops that 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 case against his mother was also eventually dropped.
BREAKING: Rhode Island shooter reportedly identified as Robert Dorgan, who went by the female name “Roberta”
Trans violence is an epidemic pic.twitter.com/xIjQ1JTgmZ
— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) February 17, 2026
Dorgan wasn’t just notorious in his real-world life but also in his online life.
On Feb. 14th, just two days before the shooting at the ice skating rink, a conservative actor correctly tweeted that Rep. Tim McBride (who goes by Sarah) “is a man.” This infuriated Dorgan:
keep bashing us. but do not wonder why we Go BERSERK
— Roberta Dorgano (@Tgirlcuda) February 15, 2026
Oddly enough, despite Dorgan’s behavior and transgenderism, he was somewhat right-wing. His X media account contains a multitude of tweets praising the likes of disgraced former Rep. Marjorie Taylor-Greene and current Rep. Thomas Massie.
Over in Rhode Island, meanwhile, the state Interscholastic League announced on social media that all interscholastic games have been temporarily suspended on account of Monday’s shooting.
“During this extremely difficult time, the RIIL has made the decision to temporarily suspend all interscholastic games out of respect for the victims and to reflect upon this senseless act of violence,” the organization said.
— RIIL (@RIIL_sports) February 16, 2026
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V. Saxena is a staff writer with a decade of experience as a professional writer, and a lifetime of experience as an avid news junkie. He holds a degree in computer technology from Purdue University. Saxena also contributes to BizPac Review.
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