February 16, 2026, should have been an exciting day for Rhode Island hockey families, but it turned into tragedy instead. Robert Dorgan, who also went by Roberta Esposito, opened fire at Dennis M. Lynch Arena in Pawtucket during a high school hockey game. Dorgan, who lived as a transgender woman, shot and killed their ex-wife, Rhonda Dorgan, 52, and their 23-year-old son, Aiden Dorgan, who died at the hospital. Dorgan also critically injured Rhonda’s parents, Linda and Gerald Dorgan, and friend Thomas Geruso. In one final act of selfishness, Dorgan turned the gun on themself, ending the massacre.
WPRI reported that Dorgan was attending a younger son’s senior night event. The hockey game saw the Coventry-Johnston co-op team take on the Blackstone Valley Schools co-op.
“What should have been a joyful occasion, with dozens of families, students, and supporters gathered to celebrate Senior Night … was instead marked by violence and fear,” Pawtucket Mayor Don Grebien shared in a statement obtained by the news outlet. “Our prayers go out to the victims, their families, and everyone impacted by this devastating incident.”
Photographer Chip DeLorenzo told WPRI he attended the special game to photograph players and their families. He photographed Rhonda with her 17-year-old son, Colin Dorgan, before her death.
DeLorenzo had no idea he would take the final photo of the mother and son together.
“When I think about that, and I look at those photographs, it obviously brings me back to that moment and makes my heart really ache,” DeLorenzo shared. He recalled hearing the gunshots and thinking they were firecrackers. He hit the ground and made his way outside.
“There were kids in their full uniforms with their helmets and skates — some were just in their undergarments and socks,” DeLorenzo told WPRI. “I saw parents, grandparents, other relatives, and friends, screaming and crying, asking ‘where is my family?’”
According to the Providence Journal, Dorgan and Rhonda married in 1992 and were first cousins once removed. Put in simpler terms, Rhonda’s grandfather was the shooter’s uncle. When the couple divorced, Rhonda cited irreconcilable differences. They were attributed to “gender reassignment surgery, Narcissistic + personality disorder traits,” the Providence Journal reported.
Dorgan reportedly had six children with three women, according to the New York Post. One of their sons, 36-year-old Kevin Colantonio, is serving a federal prison sentence. He pleaded guilty to setting a predominantly Black Texas church on fire in 2024.
Their daughter, Amanda Wallace-Hubbard, told the Post her father battled demons for a very long time. Dorgan reportedly became estranged from most of their family due to radical thinking and devotion to a Nazi mentality. Hubbard-Wallace was at the arena the night of the massacre. Sadly, she feared she and her children would be her father’s next victims.
Wallace-Hubbard created a GoFundMe for her surviving siblings, Ava and Colin. “The weight of this loss is something no one should ever have to bear, especially at such young ages. Despite the pain, Ava and Colin are determined to continue their education and build a life that honors the memory of our loved ones. However, the road ahead is filled with uncertainty and financial challenges,” she wrote.
“With both parents gone, Ava and Colin will need help covering basic living expenses and the costs of continuing their education,” the sister added on the page. “Every contribution, no matter the size, will help ease their burden and provide some stability as they navigate this difficult time. We are deeply grateful for the outpouring of love and support from friends, family, and especially the hockey community.”
This person clearly battled something very deep. What a tragedy that they thought taking the lives of others was part of the solution.
