A tragic shooting at the Dennis M. Lynch Arena in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, left three people dead and three others critically injured during a senior day hockey game on March 25, 2024. The incident unfolded when gunfire erupted at the ice rink, transforming what was meant to be a celebratory occasion into a scene of chaos and fear.
Witnesses described the harrowing moments as shots rang out. Olin Lawrence, a player for Coventry, recounted, “I thought it was balloons at first. It was like, bop bop, and I thought it was balloons but it just kept going and it was actually gunshots.” He and his teammates quickly took refuge in the locker room, pressing against the door in an attempt to stay safe.
Branden Mello, sports editor for the Woonsocket Call and Pawtucket Times, was also present during the shooting. He initially mistook the sounds for balloons popping, a common occurrence during festive events. However, one of his companions in the scorer’s box alerted him to the real danger. “That’s gunfire, get down,” Mello recalled. He estimated that the shooter, later identified as Robert Dorgan, descended from the upper bleachers and began firing into the crowd.
A commendable act of bravery was reported amid the panic. Mello noted that a father from North Smithfield, who had no child on the team, intervened by attempting to disarm Dorgan. “According to other people, he had a second gun and eventually shot himself,” Mello stated. “I would assume that that wasn’t the plan for that person was to have that gun taken away from them, so I would think that that North Smithfield parent saved a life.”
Pawtucket Police Chief Tina Goncalves confirmed Dorgan as the suspect and highlighted the heroic actions of the bystander. She stated that the man’s intervention led to a “swift end to this tragic event.” Dorgan, who was reportedly the father of a senior player involved in the game, appears to have been motivated by a family dispute, according to Goncalves.
The shooting lasted less than a minute but left an indelible mark on those present. The aftermath was described as devastating, with Mello expressing concern for the children who witnessed the violence. “Kids I talked to, their faces… I just feel horrible for them,” he reflected. “Those kids’ childhoods were taken away from them by what happened today.”
The arena was filled with students and families from various cities and towns, all affected by the unfolding tragedy. In remembrance of those lost, flowers have been placed near the rink, serving as a poignant tribute to the lives impacted by this senseless act of violence.
