3 killed, including suspect, in shooting at a Rhode Island hockey rink
Feb 16, 2026, 3:43 PM
A father hugs his son outside of the Lynch Arena in Pawtucket, R.I., after a shooting at the ice rink, Monday, Feb. 16, 2026. (AP Photo, Mark Stockwell)
(AP Photo, Mark Stockwell)
PAWTUCKET, R.I. (AP) — Authorities said three people were killed, including the suspect, at a shooting at a Rhode Island hockey rink on Monday afternoon where a youth hockey game was scheduled.
Little detail was immediately available about the shooting Monday afternoon at Dennis M. Lynch Arena in Pawtucket, a few miles outside Providence.
Pawtucket Chief Tina Goncalves told reporters that three other victims are hospitalized in critical condition.
Authorities said they believe the shooting was a targeted attack stemming from a family dispute.
Outside the arena, tearful families and high school hockey players still in uniform could be seen hugging before they boarded a bus to leave the area. Roads surrounding the arena were shut down as a heavy police presence remained and helicopters flew overhead.
Messages seeking comment were left for Pawtucket police and a spokesperson for the city’s mayor. An email message left for a spokesperson with a local hospital also was not immediately returned.
Pawtucket is nestled just north of Providence and right under the Massachusetts state border. A town of just under 80,000, Pawtucket had up until recently been known as the home to Hasbro’s headquarters.
