SINCE 1891
THE BROWN DAILY HERALD VOLUME CLX, ISSUE 5
BROWNDAILYHERALD.COM
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2026
Two killed, gunman dead in shooting at Pawtucket hockey game KAIA YALAMANCHILI / HERALD
This marks the second mass shooting in Rhode Island in the past two months, following the Dec. 13 shooting at Brown.
The shooting occurred on Monday, five miles from Brown’s campus
Two people were killed and three others were injured in a shooting at a high school ice hockey game in Pawtucket on Monday. The shooting suspect was also found dead. This marks the second mass shooting
in Rhode Island in the past two months, following the Dec. 13 shooting at Brown. The state had seen only four mass shootings since 2014, prior to Dec. 13, 2025. In a video from the hockey game livestream, more than a dozen shots can be heard echoing in a crowded ice rink. Players on the ice at the Dennis M. Lynch arena — located about 5 miles from Brown’s campus — quickly skate toward the bleachers, while spectators duck and scatter off-screen. In a press conference the evening of Feb. 16, Pawtucket Police Chief Tina Gon-
calves said that the three injured victims are hospitalized in critical condition. She described the incident as a “family dispute,” with family members and “a family friend” involved. She added that the suspect appeared to have died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound and firearms were recovered at the rink. “A good Samaritan did step in,” Goncalves added. “That’s probably what led to a swift end of this tragic event.” In a statement posted on X Monday, the Boston Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation wrote that “there is no
imminent threat to public safety.” Goncalves identified a suspect by the birth name of Robert Dorgan, but noted that the individual also used the name Roberta Esposito. According to the Boston Globe, a daughter of the suspect identified Rhonda Dorgan and Aidan Dorgan, the ex-wife and son of the suspect, as the two victims who were killed. The daughter named her mother's parents, Linda Dorgan and Jerry Dorgan, and a family friend as the injured victims. North Providence Mayor Charles
Lombardi had previously identified one of the victims killed in the shooting as the suspect’s son. At the press conference, Pawtucket Mayor Donald Grebien stated that authorities are in the middle of an “active investigation” and have already interviewed over 100 witnesses. “Providence Police provided mutual aid today and stayed on scene to offer any additional assistance needed,” Kristy dosReis, Providence’s chief public information officer for public safety, wrote in an email
UNIVERSITY NEWS
METRO
UNIVERSITY NEWS
SPORTS
UNIVERSITY NEWS
John Donoghue PhD’79 awarded Queen Elizabeth Engineering Prize
Proposed R.I. bill would abolish life without parole for young offenders
Exploring platonic love on campus
Men’s lacrosse conquers Fairfield 10-8 in season opener
Student dog caretakers welcome presidential puppy to campus
SEE ENGINEERING PAGE 3
SEE CRIME PAGE 5
SEE LOVE PAGE 6
SEE LACROSSE PAGE 13
SEE DOG CARETAKER PAGE 16
BY MICHELLE BI METRO EDITOR
UNIVERSITY NEWS
Dean of Students Koren Bakkegard to depart Brown on Feb. 27 Her responsibilities will be temporarily divided among the Division of Campus Life BY IAN RITTER UNIVERSITY NEWS AND SCIENCE & RESEARCH EDITOR Koren Bakkegard, associate vice president for campus life and dean of students, will step down from her position at the University next Friday, according to a Feb. 13 Today@Brown announcement from Vice President for Campus Life Patricia Poitevien ’94 MD’98. Bakkegard came to Brown in 2019 from Stanford University, according to the announcement, where she worked from 2004 to 2019. During her time on College Hill, she helped oversee the opening of three residence
RISD supply costs
halls and led the creation of the Brunonians Living Off Campus program. Bakkegard also led partnerships on campus to develop the Brown Experience and Advising Record system, co-led the Ivy+ Student Health and Wellness Learning Collaborative and helped relaunch the Community Dialogue Project. In an email to the Herald, Poitevien described Bakkegard as a key figure in the Division of Campus Life since she arrived on campus. of this tragic event.” “From guiding major residential improvements to fostering wellness and dialogue across campus, her work has been defined by a deep commitment to an inclusive community,” Poitevien wrote.
SEE ADMINISTRATION PAGE 2
SEE RISD PAGE 5
SEE SHOOTING PAGE 4
METRO
City announces third-party review of its response to Brown shooting The city has retained Police Executive Research Forum to conduct the review BY TALIA EGNAL METRO EDITOR The City of Providence has retained the Police Executive Research Forum to conduct an independent, third-party review of its response to the Dec. 13 shooting, Mayor Brett Smiley announced on Thursday. The review, which will cost $95,000 in total, is projected to be completed in 210 days. PERF — a research organization based in Washington, D.C. focusing on policing issues — will produce an after-action report synthesizing findings from various groups, such as the Providence Police Department, and provide recom-
post- Magazine
mendations for the city. This report will help identify “what worked well and where we must improve in training, tools, tactics and technology,” Smiley said in a statement sent to the Herald. “This process is focused on accountability and learning,” Smiley said. “We are committed to releasing the full report once it is complete and to continuing to earn the community’s trust.” The report will evaluate the city’s “inter-agency coordination, investigative processes and public communications” in response to the shooting, the statement added. Providence residents have expressed dissatisfaction with the city’s emergency alert systems following
SEE CITY PAGE 2
SEE POST- PAGE 8