‘A targeted family dispute’: What we know about the Rhode Island ice rink shooting so far

At least three people are dead and three more are in critical condition after a mass shooting at an indoor ice rink in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, during a high school hockey match on Monday afternoon.

In a press conference, police said the suspected gunman is among the dead. Authorities believe the attack may have been a “targeted incident” connected to what they described as a “family dispute”.

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Pawtucket police chief Tina Goncalves told reporters: “We’re putting all the pieces together.” She confirmed that one victim died at the scene inside the arena, while another died later in hospital. The suspect appears to have died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, she added.

Police have identified the suspected shooter as a 56-year-old called Robert K. Dorgan, who also went by the name Roberta Esposit after transitioning into a woman, CNN reports.

Officials have not yet released the identities of the victims while families are being notified. The two people killed by gunfire are believed to have been adults. Three other people who were shot remain hospitalised in critical condition.

The shooting happened at the Dennis M. Lynch Arena in Pawtucket, near Providence, at around 2.30pm local time (7.30pm UK time), where a youth hockey game involving students from multiple local schools was taking place. Pawtucket mayor Don Grebien said the match involved boys’ teams from several nearby districts.

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Local reporting suggests the chaos unfolded rapidly. The Providence Journal said audio from a livestream service captured roughly 13 shots fired in quick succession, followed by players and spectators fleeing the rink. Rhode Island high school sportswriter Eric Rueb shared a clip on social media, writing: “You cannot see anything, the noise is unmistakeable, but the reaction and chaos that follows tells the story.”

School officials confirmed that all members of the Coventry hockey team are safe and accounted for.

Police say the shooting appears to have been targeted and possibly linked to a family dispute, but have not given further details as the investigation continues.