Roberta Esposito Pawtucket, Rhode Island Shooting,Pawtucket Ice Hockey Game Shattered by Deadly Family Violence
PAWTUCKET, R.I. — A high school hockey Senior Night celebration descended into horrific violence Monday afternoon when a parent opened fire inside a crowded ice rink, leaving three people dead, including the suspected shooter, and three others critically wounded.
The incident occurred around 2:30 p.m. at the Pawtucket rink during a game between the Coventry-Johnston and Blackstone Valley co-op teams. According to authorities, the suspected gunman was Roberta Esposito, a 56-year-old transgender woman from North Providence whose legal name is Robert K. Dorgan. Esposito was the parent of a senior player on the ice at the time of the shooting.
Police stated the violence stemmed from a family-related dispute and was an isolated incident. Sources close to the investigation indicate the shooter’s ex-wife was killed at the scene, and the couple’s adult daughter later died from her injuries at the hospital. Esposito died from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound after allegedly firing in the stands.
Witnesses reported seeing the shooter enter with what appeared to be pink-colored firearms, with some initially mistaking them for toys. Three additional victims were transported to Rhode Island Hospital in critical condition.
The student-athlete related to the suspect was on the ice and not physically harmed. The community is left reeling from a tragedy that transformed an event celebrating student achievement into an unforgettable scene of loss. The investigation remains ongoing as officials work to piece together the full circumstances of the shooting.
