Court Records Reveal Family Conflict Involving Pawtucket Shooting Suspect Robert Dorgan

PAWTUCKET R.I., Additional details have surfaced following the deadly shooting at Dennis M. Lynch Arena that left two family members dead and three others critically injured.

Authorities previously confirmed that 56-year-old Robert Dorgan — who also used the names Roberta Esposito and Roberta Dorgan — fatally shot his ex-wife, Rhonda Dorgan, and their son, Aidan Dorgan, during a high school hockey event before dying by suicide.

Three additional victims, identified as Rhonda’s parents, Gerald and Linda Dorgan, were critically wounded.

Law enforcement has described the attack as a targeted act stemming from a family dispute. Investigators have not publicly identified an ideological motive.

Sources familiar with the family said Dorgan’s mother, Joanne Dorgan, died earlier this month. Her funeral service was reportedly held on February 6 at a local funeral home.

According to individuals close to the family, Joanne Dorgan had requested that her funeral arrangements be kept private and that her son not attend.

Sources allege that Dorgan was angered after learning of the service and felt excluded by relatives who honored her wishes.

Authorities have not confirmed whether this development played any role in the subsequent violence.

Images circulated online following the shooting appear to show Dorgan displaying tattoos and jewelry associated with extremist symbolism. Photographs show a large arm tattoo incorporating “SS” lightning bolt-style imagery and a skull-and-crossbones design historically linked to Nazi-era insignia. Other images depict rings featuring skull and Iron Cross-style motifs.

Social media posts attributed to Dorgan reportedly included inflammatory political rhetoric, racist and antisemitic language, and engagement with far-right conspiracy content. Rhode Island voter registration records indicate Dorgan registered as a Republican in 2020.

Authorities have not stated that extremist ideology was a motivating factor in the shooting. Investigators have emphasized that the case remains centered on a domestic and family-related dispute.

In an interview with WCVB, a woman identifying herself as Dorgan’s daughter confirmed that her father was responsible for the shooting.

“My father was the shooter. He shot my family, and he’s dead now,” she said, adding that he had longstanding mental health issues and describing him as “very sick.”

Family members indicated that Dorgan had six children in total. Two of them — Ava Dorgan, a nursing student, and 17-year-old Colin Dorgan — were not physically injured in the attack but are now coping with the loss of both parents and an older brother.

A fundraising page organized by a relative described the emotional impact on the surviving children and confirmed that Gerald and Linda Dorgan remain in critical condition.

Public records reviewed by media outlets, including The Providence Journal, indicate that Robert and Rhonda Dorgan were first cousins once removed when they married in 1992.

According to genealogical research based on U.S. Census records, Edward Dorgan and Eva Dorgan, who resided in Smithfield, Rhode Island, had two sons: Raymond Dorgan and Robert J. Dorgan. Robert J. Dorgan was the father of the shooter, while Raymond Dorgan was the father of Gerald Dorgan, making Rhonda Dorgan and Robert Dorgan extended relatives.

The couple later divorced in 2021.

Rhode Island law permits marriage between first cousins, as do several other U.S. states. The legal status of more distant familial relationships varies by jurisdiction.

The investigation remains active. The Pawtucket Police Department, with assistance from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, continues to examine evidence, including digital records and witness accounts.

Authorities have not released further details regarding motive and have urged the public to avoid speculation while the investigation proceeds.

The community continues to mourn the loss of Rhonda and Aidan Dorgan as surviving family members face a long recovery process, both physically and emotionally.