Harrowing Moment High School Hockey Players Flee for Their Lives as Dad Shoots Wife and Three Kids: 'He Shot My Family'
PAWTUCKET, R.I. — A routine high school hockey game turned into a nightmare Monday afternoon when a father opened fire on his own family in the stands of the Dennis M. Lynch Arena, killing multiple family members before turning the gun on himself in a tragedy that has left this Rhode Island community reeling.
A Senior Night Celebration Turns Deadly
What began as a celebratory "Senior Night" hockey game around 2:30 p.m. ET quickly descended into chaos when shots rang out in the stands, sending players, parents, and spectators scrambling for cover
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. The incident at the ice rink in Pawtucket, located about five miles outside Providence, resulted in three deaths—including the shooter—and three others hospitalized in critical condition
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Pawtucket Police Chief Tina Goncalves confirmed that the shooting appears to be a targeted event stemming from a family dispute
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. The suspect was found dead from what authorities believe was a self-inflicted gunshot wound
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"My Father Was the Shooter. He Shot My Family"
In heartbreaking testimony outside the Pawtucket Police Department, a woman emerging from the building with a man and child identified the gunman as her father and revealed the devastating toll on their family.
"My father was the shooter," she told reporters. "He shot my family, and he's dead now"
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The woman, who did not provide her name, explained that her father had been struggling with mental health issues for some time. "He has mental health issues," she said, describing him as "very sick," though she did not provide specific details about his condition
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As she walked toward a pickup truck parked across from the police department, she said she did not know who was killed but that she was heading to the hospital next
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Terrifying Moments on the Ice
For the young athletes on the ice, the attack came without warning. Players from multiple schools—including Coventry, East Providence, and Saint Raphael Academy—were participating in the co-op senior night game when the shooting began
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Melissa Dunn, whose son is a sophomore goalie on one of the teams, described the initial confusion when the shots rang out.
"You don't know what's going on at first. You just hear the loud noises. And we're used to the kids banging on the board with their skates, so we thought it was that at first," Dunn told reporters outside the police station after giving her witness statement
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Once she realized what was happening, Dunn screamed for her son to get down before he and other players scrambled across the ice to the safety of the locker room. Driven by a mother's instinct, she made the harrowing decision to run back into the arena to find her child.
"I tried to get back in the rink, and I actually got back in there to find out where he was, and I saw them doing CPR in the stands and it was just really disturbing," Dunn recalled, her voice filled with emotion
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Players Hide in Locker Room
Inside the locker room, terrified young athletes pressed themselves against the door, trying to stay safe as gunfire echoed through the arena.
Olin Lawrence, a high school hockey player who was on the ice at the time, recounted the frightening moments to reporters.
"I went down and then I ran," Lawrence said. "We pressed against the door and just tried to stay safe down in there. It was very scary. We were very nervous"
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When asked about the shooting, Lawrence's response was stark and simple: "It was a lot of shots"
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Community in Shock
Outside the arena, the scene was one of devastation and confusion. Tearful families and high school hockey players still in their uniforms gathered, trying to account for loved ones and process what had just occurred
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Rhode Island State Representative Cherie Cruz, who was at the scene, emphasized the wide-reaching impact of the tragedy.
"A lot of different players from Coventry, from East Providence, from Saint Rays [Saint Raphael Academy]. So there's a lot of cities and towns here today," Cruz said, noting that students from different schools were playing together on the same team
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School officials moved quickly to reassure parents and the community. Kevin Folan, the head of schools at Providence Country Day, released a statement saying: "We are shocked and saddened by the shooting at today's hockey game. We can confirm that the PCD students, parents, and staff that were present are safe at this time"
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Officials from Coventry Public Schools and Providence Country Day confirmed that all their student athletes had been accounted for
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. The superintendent of one of the schools playing at the time of the shooting sent a message to parents confirming that all students on the team were safe
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Investigation Underway
Police Chief Goncalves provided limited details during a press conference Monday, citing the ongoing nature of the investigation. She confirmed that two adult victims died in the shooting, with three others wounded and hospitalized in critical condition
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"It appears that this was a targeted event, that it may be a family dispute," Goncalves said, though she declined to provide details about the suspect or the ages of those who were killed beyond confirming they appeared to be adults
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Authorities are continuing to piece together the events leading up to the shooting and are speaking with witnesses to fully understand what transpired
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. The FBI, Rhode Island Attorney General's office, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) are assisting local police with the investigation
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A Community Mourns
The Dennis M. Lynch Arena on Andrew D. Ferland Way, typically a place of community gathering and youthful competition, became the site of unspeakable tragedy. The shooting has sent shockwaves through Pawtucket and the surrounding communities, leaving families to grapple with loss and trauma.
As night fell on Monday, the arena remained cordoned off with a massive police presence, a somber reminder of the violence that had unfolded just hours before
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The victims' names and ages have not been released out of respect for the families, and authorities have asked for patience as they continue to notify next of kin
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Mental Health Crisis
The daughter's statement about her father's mental health struggles has raised important questions about access to mental health care and crisis intervention. Her description of her father as "very sick" and her matter-of-fact explanation that "he has mental health issues" suggests a long-standing battle that ultimately ended in catastrophe
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Mental health advocates have long warned that untreated mental illness can have devastating consequences, not just for the individuals struggling but for their families and communities. This tragedy underscores the critical need for comprehensive mental health services and early intervention.
Hockey Community Responds
The hockey community in Rhode Island and beyond has begun to mobilize in support of those affected. The Providence Bruins and community leaders have offered support to the victims' families and the broader community affected by the shooting
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For now, though, the focus remains on supporting the survivors—both the physical victims recovering in hospitals and the young athletes, parents, and spectators who witnessed the horror unfold.
As one mother ran back into danger to find her son, as players huddled together in a locker room praying for safety, and as a daughter emerged from a police station to reveal her father had destroyed their family, the true cost of this tragedy became clear.
Three lives lost. Three fighting for their lives. And a community left to pick up the pieces.
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