A 56-year-old shooter who killed two family members and injured three others at a high school hockey game in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, on Monday left a trail of social media posts warning that transgender individuals could go “berserk.”
Police identified the gunman as Robert Dorgan, who also used the name Roberta and the surname Esposito. Dorgan died at the scene from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound after opening fire during a senior night celebration at the Dennis M. Lynch Arena.
Investigations into Dorgan’s digital footprint, particularly under the name “Roberta Dorgano,” have revealed a series of grievances regarding the treatment of transgender people alongside interests in racist ideology and pornography.
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Just twenty-four hours before the shooting, Dorgan responded to a post on X concerning transgender Democratic Representative Sarah McBride of Delaware. “Keep bashing us,” Dorgan wrote, “but do not wonder why we Go BERSERK.”
While Pawtucket Police Chief Tina Goncalves characterized the shooting as a “targeted” incident stemming from a family dispute, court records show Dorgan’s domestic life had been strained for years.
According to WPRI, Dorgan’s ex-wife cited “gender reassignment surgery” and “narcissistic + personality disorder traits” as the primary reasons for their 2021 divorce. Those familiar with the family reported that the household had endured multiple disputes over Dorgan’s self-declared gender identity leading up to the violence.
Dorgan’s online activity also showed an affinity for extremist and white nationalist rhetoric. In the months prior to the attack, Dorgan expressed support for anti-Semitic provocateur Nick Fuentes and used the acronym “WP,” a common slogan for “white power,” in response to videos of individuals performing Nazi salutes.
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Despite these posts, Dorgan had previously commented on the role of transgender people in protecting children. In August 2025, following a shooting at a Minnesota church, Dorgan wrote that “some trans [people] would defend kids with their last breath.”
The shooting occurred about 45 miles south of Boston during a game involving several local schools. The violence was reportedly cut short by a “Good Samaritan” who intervened at the scene, an act Chief Goncalves credited with preventing further casualties.
Federal agents from the ATF and FBI joined local law enforcement to process the scene, where three additional victims remain in critical condition. Authorities have not yet released the names of the deceased family members.
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