Chilling 'BESERK' Warning Preceded Deadly Shooting at Rhode Island Hockey Arena
PAWTUCKET, RHODE ISLAND – A series of deeply disturbing online messages, including the ominous phrase "We go BESERK," were posted by a gunman just days before he opened fire at a youth hockey match in Rhode Island, killing two people before taking his own life. The violent incident unfolded at the Dennis M. Lynch Arena in Pawtucket on Monday afternoon, sending shockwaves through the community and raising urgent questions about warning signs and domestic violence.
Disturbing Online Trail and Arena Attack
Fifty-six-year-old Robert Dorgan, who also went by the name Roberta Esposito, shared a cascade of alarming posts across social media platforms in the lead-up to the shooting. Under the username 'Roberta Dorgano' on X, one particularly chilling message read: "Keep bashing us. But do not wonder why we Go BESERK." This digital warning proved tragically prophetic.
According to Pawtucket Police Chief Tina Goncalves, Dorgan entered the arena shortly after 2:00 PM during a high school hockey game. Approximately thirty minutes later, at around 2:30 PM, he began shooting into the crowd. Video footage from inside the venue shows a man wearing a white beanie walking down the stands and firing his weapon. Authorities confirmed that a brave member of the public attempted to intervene, an action Chief Goncalves credited with likely preventing additional casualties.
Fatalities and Critical Injuries
The shooting resulted in at least two fatalities before Dorgan died by suicide at the scene. Three other individuals were transported to a local hospital in critical condition, fighting for their lives. Police responded with remarkable speed, arriving at the arena within just ninety seconds of the first emergency call.
Authorities have stated that the violence appears to have originated from a "family dispute." A source familiar with the investigation told Fox News that the gunman shot and killed his ex-wife and opened fire on his children before turning the weapon on himself. Rhonda Dorgan, his former spouse, is believed to be among the deceased, along with a family friend.
Mental Health and Marital Strife Revealed
Just hours after the tragic event, a woman identifying herself as Dorgan's daughter spoke to WCVB, stating bluntly: "He shot my family, and he's dead now." She added that her father "has mental health issues," providing a crucial context for the unfolding tragedy.
Court records examined in the aftermath reveal a long history of marital problems and personal conflict. In divorce papers initially filed in 2020, Rhonda Dorgan listed "gender reassignment surgery, narcissistic + personality disorder traits" as the primary reasons for seeking separation. This was later amended to cite "irreconcilable differences, which have caused the immediate breakdown of the marriage." The divorce was officially finalized in June 2021.
Additional legal documents show Dorgan had engaged in heated arguments with family members concerning gender identity. In early 2020, he informed police that he had recently undergone gender reassignment surgery and reported that his father-in-law wanted him to vacate the family home.
Graphic Online Content Before the Attack
In the days preceding the shooting, an online profile associated with Robert Dorgan shared a particularly graphic and unsettling video. The footage depicted a woman running on a treadmill while simultaneously loading ammunition magazines into a handgun and aiming the weapon. This content, combined with the explicit "BESERK" warning, paints a picture of escalating threats that culminated in Monday's horrific violence at the hockey arena.
The Pawtucket community, along with the wider Rhode Island area, is now grappling with the aftermath of this senseless act. The incident underscores the deadly intersection of domestic disputes, potential mental health crises, and the terrifying reality of gun violence in public spaces.
