A transgender father’s deadly rampage at his son’s hockey game left two family members dead and three critically wounded, raising urgent questions about mental health red flags and family court failures that conservatives have warned about for years.
Deadly Attack Unfolds During Senior Night Celebration
Robert Dorgan methodically executed his attack at Dennis M. Lynch Arena in Pawtucket during what should have been a joyous senior night celebration for his son Aidan’s high school hockey team. The 56-year-old entered the arena, exited briefly, then returned wearing female clothing and carrying two legally purchased firearms licensed in Florida. Without any prior confrontation or warning, Dorgan approached the bleachers where his family sat watching the game and opened fire on them individually. Brave bystanders intervened to stop the carnage, prompting Dorgan to turn a second weapon on himself. The calculated nature of this attack underscores how even routine family gatherings have become potential danger zones when mental health crises intersect with unresolved family conflicts.
Ominous Social Media Warning Preceded Violence
The day before the shooting, Dorgan posted a chilling message on X that now reads as a direct threat. Responding to actor Kevin Sorbo’s commentary about transgender Representative Sarah McBride, Dorgan wrote: “Keep bashing us. But do not wonder why we Go BERSERK.” This explicit warning went unheeded, raising serious concerns about how social media platforms and law enforcement monitor credible threats. The post reflects the dangerous intersection of identity politics and mental instability that conservatives have consistently warned creates volatile situations. Pawtucket Police Chief Tina Goncalves confirmed investigators found no extremist ties or suicide note, yet this public threat posted just hours before mass violence suggests clear warning signs were present but ignored by systems designed to protect public safety.
Family Court Documents Reveal Years of Conflict
Court records from Dorgan’s 2020 divorce filing paint a troubling picture of mental health struggles and family turmoil. Ex-wife Rhonda cited “gender reassignment surgery, narcissistic + personality disorder traits” as grounds for ending their marriage, which was finalized in 2021. Years of heated disputes over Dorgan’s gender identity created an estranged family dynamic, yet Dorgan continued attending games routinely without incident, suggesting the family had normalized what appears to have been a tense arrangement. The shooter’s daughter, a nursing student, later told police her father suffered from significant “mental health issues” and illness. This case exemplifies conservative concerns about how family courts handle complex situations involving gender transitions and mental health disorders, particularly when children’s safety hangs in the balance.
🚨Chilling warning signs before “narcissistic” trans dad “shot ex-wife and kids” in hockey game bloodbath.
The shooter has been identified as Robert Dorgan, 56, who also went by the name “Roberta Esposito” or “Roberta Dorgano.”
In a post on X, a profile for “Roberta Dorgano”… pic.twitter.com/GI6gHT4lwq
— Skint Eastwood (@Skint_Eastwood1) February 17, 2026
Pattern of Violence Raises Alarming Questions
This Rhode Island tragedy occurred less than one week after a transgender gunman killed nine people and injured 27 at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School in Canada on February 10-11, 2026. While investigators found no direct connection between the incidents, the temporal proximity raises legitimate questions about whether media coverage and social contagion contribute to copycat violence. Rhonda Dorgan died shielding her family during the attack, while her son Aidan, a high school hockey player celebrating senior night, became another victim of his father’s rage. Rhonda’s elderly parents Linda and Gerald Dorgan, along with family friend Thomas Giarrusso, remain in critical condition. The investigation continues with search warrants pending, but what’s already clear is that mental health systems and family courts failed to prevent a foreseeable tragedy despite documented personality disorders and public threats.
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New details revealed about seconds before trans gunman opened fire at Rhode Island hockey game
Hockey rink mass shooter identified, shared chilling post before incident