A transgender-identified killer who murdered his ex-wife and son at a Rhode Island hockey game had a son already serving federal prison time for torching a predominantly Black church while harboring violently racist ideology.
Family Tragedy Rooted in Decades of Turmoil
Robert Dorgan executed his ex-wife Rhonda Dorgan and their son Aidan on February 16, 2026, during a high school hockey game at Dennis M. Lynch Arena in Pawtucket, Rhode Island. The 56-year-old shooter, who identified as transgender and used names like Roberta Esposito and Roberta Dorgano, opened fire in the stands where family members were watching another son play. Dorgan critically wounded Rhonda’s parents Linda and Gerald Dorgan, along with family friend Thomas Geruso, before bystanders heroically tackled him. He then fatally shot himself with a second handgun, ending the violence that traumatized an entire community.
The attack emerged from years of family dysfunction that began unraveling after Dorgan’s gender transition around 2017. Rhonda filed for divorce in February 2020 after approximately 30 years of marriage, initially citing Dorgan’s gender reassignment surgery and narcissistic personality disorder traits in court documents, though these reasons were later changed to irreconcilable differences. Social media posts from Dorgan revealed the marital strain, including a 2018 post claiming Rhonda “hates the person who stole her husband” and a 2019 post stating “Transwoman, 6 kids : wife – not thrilled.” Despite the divorce, Dorgan continued attending family hockey games regularly without prior incidents of violence, according to Pawtucket Police Chief Tina Goncalves.
Son’s Racist Church Arson Precedes Father’s Rampage
Kevin Colantonio, 37, Dorgan’s son from a previous relationship, is currently serving more than six years in federal prison for setting fire to Shiloh Gospel Temple Ministries in North Providence in February 2024. Colantonio pleaded guilty in February 2025 to the arson attack on the predominantly Black church. Federal prosecutors described Colantonio’s “extremely racist ideology” after authorities seized a notebook containing violently racist statements including “hunt them down, gun them down, everyone that isn’t white” and “burn churches to the ground.” North Providence Police Chief Alfredo Ruggiero confirmed on February 18, 2026, that Dorgan and Colantonio shared a North Providence address more than 20 years ago, though the extent of their recent contact remains unclear.
The familial connection between the church arsonist and the hockey rink killer reveals a disturbing pattern of violence and extremism within one family. Both Dorgan and Colantonio demonstrated racist tendencies, with Dorgan posting racist memes on X according to reports. This combination of hate-fueled ideology and violent action resulted in attacks on innocent victims: a Black church congregation and a family gathering at a youth sporting event. The fact that both incidents occurred in February of consecutive years adds an eerie temporal connection to these separate but related tragedies that devastated Rhode Island communities.
Social Media Posts Foreshadowed Violence
Dorgan’s activity on X in the days preceding the massacre revealed escalating rage tied to his transgender identity and perceived criticism. On February 15, 2026, just one day before the shooting, Dorgan responded to anti-trans posts by conservative figures Kevin Sorbo and Alex Jones, declaring that such criticism drives transgender people “BERSERK.” This ominous statement proved tragically prophetic within 24 hours. Coworkers later told reporters that Dorgan regularly discussed his family and hockey, displayed mixed feelings of pride and embarrassment about his transgender status, and owned firearms. Dorgan’s daughter confirmed after the shooting that her father suffered from “mental health issues” and was “very sick,” providing insight into the deteriorating psychological state that preceded the violence.
Governor McKee’s response to the tragedy focused narrowly on gun violence, drawing sharp criticism from community leaders like Reverend Jordan Wells who argued that officials were ignoring the mental illness and transgender factors central to understanding what happened. This reluctance to address the complete picture does a disservice to public safety and honest debate about the complex intersection of mental health struggles, identity issues, and access to firearms. The shooting occurred against a broader backdrop of recent violence involving trans-identified perpetrators, including incidents in Canada and previous U.S. attacks. Bystanders who tackled Dorgan and prevented further bloodshed demonstrated the heroism and quick thinking that saved lives when institutional safeguards failed to prevent the tragedy.
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Police credit a good samaritan for ending a deadly shooting at a Rhode Island ice rink