Mass Shooting in Pawtucket, Rhode Island Leaves Multiple Casualties With Suspect Dead at the Scene

A mass shooting occurred at an indoor ice rink in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, on Monday, with multiple casualties reported and the suspect found dead at the scene. A gunman opened fire during a high school boys' hockey tournament at the Dennis M Lynch Arena, killing one young girl and injuring four others who were rushed to hospital for treatment.

The Pawtucket mayor's office said the suspect, whose identity was not disclosed, was dead at the scene from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. The incident comes two months after the shooting at Brown University, also in Rhode Island. In that incident, suspect Claudio Manuel Neves Valente opened fire on 11 people, killing two students, Ella Cook and Mukhammad Aziz Umurzokov, and injuring nine others.

The Incident

Chaos ensued during the hockey game between Coventry and Blackstone Valley Schools following the sound of gunshots in the stadium. The game had started at 2pm local time, with the gunman reportedly firing shots from behind the Blackstone Valley Schools bench. According to multiple reports, witnesses heard approximately seven to eight shots fired during the attack.

Photos taken during the incident showed parents holding onto their children while they evacuated, with video footage also showing parents both frightened and concerned. Police officers and ambulances were shortly seen outside the arena. A Walgreens employee said that after the shots were heard, children rushed into the nearby pharmacy. They also said they were instructed to close the store and evacuate the building, with people hiding inside while a staff member called 911.

Authorities are not looking for anyone else after receiving confirmation that the suspect was dead. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives announced that it would be assisting the authorities in the investigation and urged the public to avoid the area.

Eyewitness Account

Photographer Chip DeLorenzo recalled what happened as he was taking photos of the match for The Providence Journal. 'I was tucked in the corner here at the rink taking photos,' said DeLorenzo. 'All of a sudden, I mean, the typical, you hear multiple firecrackers going off, loud. And I didn't count them but probably seven or eight shots, maybe more.'

'People obviously just like started screaming and freaking out,' DeLorenzo recalled. 'And as soon as I heard that and saw the reaction, I realised it wasn't firecrackers.'

Official Response

In an email to families, Coventry Superintendent Don Cowart said there was a 'serious reported incident' at the Lynch Arena, noting that information was still developing as authorities investigate the circumstances. 'Information is still developing, and we are actively working with event staff and local authorities to understand the situation,' said Cowart.

Rhode Island Governor Dan McKee said his office was actively monitoring the incident and that he had spoken with the mayor regarding law enforcement's response. 'We are actively monitoring the shooting at Dennis M Lynch Arena in Pawtucket. I just spoke with Mayor Grebien as well as RI State Police, who are working with local law enforcement. I am praying for Pawtucket and everyone involved,' McKee said in a post on X.