PAWTUCKET, Rhode Island — A shooting during a youth hockey game at a local ice arena in Pawtucket left three people dead including the suspected gunman and three others critically injured, authorities said Monday, in what investigators believe was a targeted incident possibly linked to a family dispute.
The violence erupted at the Dennis M. Lynch Arena during a high school hockey game, sending players, parents, and spectators running for safety as law enforcement flooded the area. Police said the suspect was among those killed and was believed to have died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Pawtucket Police Chief Tina Goncalves told reporters that initial findings suggest the shooting was “a targeted event” and may have stemmed from a family-related conflict. Investigators have not yet released the identities or ages of the victims while families are being notified and authorities continue to establish the full timeline of events.
Witnesses described scenes of confusion and panic as gunfire rang out inside the arena, which was hosting a crowded boys’ high school hockey game. Families and young athletes fled the building, with some taking shelter in nearby establishments while police secured the scene.
Outside the rink, emotional family members and players in uniform were seen embracing before being reunited with relatives. Authorities temporarily closed roads surrounding the arena as multiple agencies responded, including state and federal personnel assisting the investigation.
Police said detectives are interviewing numerous witnesses and reviewing evidence to determine the sequence of events. Officials emphasized that there is no indication of additional suspects at large.
While early reports varied as the incident unfolded, officials later confirmed that three people died and three others remained in critical condition at area hospitals. Investigators are treating the case as a domestic- or family-related act of violence rather than a random attack.
The tragedy has shaken the close-knit community of Pawtucket, a city just north of Providence near the Massachusetts border. The arena, a long-standing venue for local youth sports, was filled with students and families at the time of the shooting.
State and local officials expressed support for victims and first responders, while counseling resources were expected to be made available for affected families and students.
Authorities said more information, including the identities of victims and confirmed relationships involved in the dispute, will be released once investigations progress and family notifications are completed.
As the inquiry continues, investigators are appealing to anyone who witnessed the incident or has video footage to contact law enforcement.
Edgardo Hernal started college at UP Diliman and received his BA in Economics from San Sebastian College, Manila, and Masters in Information Systems Management from Keller Graduate School of Management of DeVry University in Oak Brook, IL. He has 25 years of copy editing and management experience at Thomson West, a subsidiary of Thomson Reuters.
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