Police have identified the shooter in the Pawtucket ice rink shooting that left three dead. Officials said the suspect, Robert Dorgan, who also went by the name of Roberta Esposito, has allegedly died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

On Monday afternoon, February 16, 2026, at around 2:30 p.m., a lone shooter opened fire on people in a local skating rink, Dennis M. Lynch Arena, in Pawtucket, Rhode Island and killed three people while leaving three others in critical condition.

Pawtucket Police Chief Tina Goncalves stated the said authorities have not yet released the victims’ identities. She said that the shooting appears to be targeted, adding, “It may have been a family dispute.”

The unfortunate incident occurred during a high school hockey game between Coventry/Johnston and Blackstone Valley Co-op.

Witnesses described the horrific scenes and confusion after the tragic shooting as the spectators and players ran to seek shelter and flee towards the exit.

Melissa Dunn, the mother of one of the players, said, “It was supposed to be a special day for the team, and it’s really sad.”

A sophomore goalkeeper from Coventry High School, Olin Lawrence, described the situation as complete chaos, saying, “We ran to the locker room and just tried to be safe. We pressed against the door and just tried to stay safe down there. It was very scary. We were very nervous. There were a lot of shots.” 

• Police chief says shooting appears targeted.
• Social media video shows teenagers fleeing as shots ring out.
• Three are in hospital, all listed critical condition.

At least two people were killed and three wounded in a shooting at an ice rink in the northeastern US town of Pawtucket on Monday, authorities said, with social media footage showing frightened teenagers fleeing the sound of gunshots.

“We have three deceased. The suspect, and then we have two victims, and then we have three at the hospital,” said Tina Goncalves, police chief in the Rhode Island community.

She added that initial investigations suggested the shooting was targeted and “may be a family dispute.”

No details were immediately shared on the identities of the victims, but Goncalves said the wounded were in “critical condition.”

Mass shootings are common in the United States, where lax gun control laws mean that access to weapons is relatively easy.

In 2025, there were more than 400 mass shootings in the United States, according to the Gun Violence Archive, which counts incidents where four or more people are shot or killed, not including the shooter.

Gun violence as a whole claimed at least 14,703 lives last year, not including suicides.

Monday’s shooting, which occurred at a high school ice hockey game, came two months after a mass shooting at Brown University, located just 3.5 miles (5.6 kilometres) away.

Footage shared on social media, which has not been verified by AFP, showed players, students and spectators at Pawtucket’s Dennis M Lynch Arena fleeing for cover as shots rang out over the indoor ice rink.

“After the gunshots me and my teammates ran right to the locker room,” one eyewitness, who was on the ice when the shots were fired, told local news station WJAR.

“We pressed against the door and tried to stay safe down in there.”

At least 12 shots can be heard on the social media footage, which appears to have been taken from a livestream of the game.

The teams initially continued playing, but as the staccato burst of gunfire continued, players fled to the edges of the rink or made a break for the exits, with spectators seen ducking for cover.

Anderson Cooper is preparing to step away from 60 Minutes after nearly 20 years as a correspondent, marking a significant moment for the long-running CBS News broadcast amid ongoing turmoil within the company.

The veteran journalist, who has balanced his role on the Sunday night news magazine alongside his full-time work at CNN, has chosen not to renew his agreement with CBS News, according to people familiar with the decision. 

His final segment, a profile of documentary filmmaker Ken Burns, aired on Sunday.

In a statement, Anderson Cooper said the decision was deeply personal.

“Being a correspondent at 60 Minutes has been one of the great honours of my career. I got to tell amazing stories, and work with some of the best producers, editors, and camera crews in the business. 

For nearly twenty years, I’ve been able to balance my jobs at CNN and CBS, but I have little kids now and I want to spend as much time with them as possible, while they still want to spend time with me.”

Cooper joined 60 Minutes during the 2006–2007 season, becoming one of the few journalists to hold prominent roles on both network and cable television. 

Over the years, his reporting for the programme earned multiple Emmy Awards, including stories on jazz prodigy Joey Alexander and African prison inmates whose music went on to win a Grammy.

While Cooper recently signed a new deal to remain at CNN, where his work includes Anderson Cooper 360°, the long-form series The Whole Story and the podcast All There Is, his departure from 60 Minutes comes at a difficult time for CBS News. 

The programme has been caught up in wider corporate and editorial disputes linked to Paramount Global’s sale to Skydance.

Last year, 60 Minutes became central to a legal fight after Donald Trump sued the show over edits made to an interview with Kamala Harris.

Although CBS News lawyers viewed the case as without merit, Paramount ultimately agreed to a $16 million settlement, which was seen internally as necessary to avoid regulatory hurdles. 

During this period, executive producer Bill Owens resigned, followed later by Wendy McMahon, the head of the news division.

Editorial tensions continued more recently when a report on deportations to El Salvador was pulled after being promoted. 

The correspondent involved criticised the move as political rather than editorial. The segment eventually aired weeks later with added context, but without comment from a Trump administration official.

The changes have unfolded under the leadership of Bari Weiss, the current editor-in-chief of CBS News, whose efforts to reshape the division have drawn criticism from some staff and contributed to unease within the newsroom.

In a statement acknowledging Cooper’s exit, CBS News said: “For more than two decades, Anderson Cooper has taken 60 Minutes viewers on journeys to faraway places, told us unforgettable stories, reported consequential investigations and interviewed many prominent figures.

We’re grateful to him for dedicating so much of his life to this broadcast, and understand the importance of spending more time with family. 60 Minutes will be here if he ever wants to return.”

Cooper appeared briefly on the programme during its Last Minute segment on Sunday, and while it is unclear whether that will be his final on-air moment this season, his departure removes one of the show’s most recognisable faces. 

For now, Cooper remains firmly anchored at CNN, while 60 Minutes continues to navigate a period of uncertainty behind the scenes.