On what should have been a celebratory evening, tragedy struck at a high school hockey game in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, on February 16, 2026. Inside the Dennis M. Lynch Arena, 75-year-old Gerald Dorgan was in the stands to watch his grandson's Senior Night game, a moment meant for family pride and cheering. He was accompanied by his wife, Linda, his daughter Rhonda Dorgan, his grandson Aidan Dorgan, and a family friend, Thomas Geruso.
The familiar sounds of skates on ice and pucks hitting the boards were shattered when gunfire erupted, turning a community gathering place into a scene of unimaginable horror. The source of the violence was tragically close to home: Gerald's former son-in-law, 56-year-old Robert Dorgan.
In a targeted attack stemming from what authorities described as a domestic dispute, Robert Dorgan opened fire on his own family. He fatally shot his ex-wife, Rhonda Dorgan, and their 23-year-old son, Aidan, in the stands. Gerald Dorgan, his wife Linda, and their family friend Thomas Geruso were all critically wounded in the assault. In the chaotic moments that followed, as panic swept through the arena, several onlookers attempted to intervene and subdue the shooter. Before he could be stopped, Robert Dorgan turned a second gun on himself, dying from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. First responders rushed the injured to Rhode Island Hospital, where they battled for their lives.
For nine days, Gerald Dorgan remained in critical condition, but he ultimately succumbed to his injuries on February 25, 2026, becoming the third victim of the senseless act of violence. His wife Linda and the family friend, Thomas Geruso, survived but faced a long road to recovery from their serious injuries. The investigation that followed painted a grim picture of a family fractured by conflict. Court records and family statements revealed long-standing tensions, reportedly linked to Robert Dorgan's gender identity and mental health issues. Because the perpetrator took his own life at the scene, there were no arrests, criminal trial, or conviction. The case concluded with the deaths of four people, including the shooter, leaving a family and a community to grieve the devastating and public loss.
