Pawtucket Lynch Arena shooting: Videos capture chaos, police response amid gunfire at boys' hockey game

A shooting at a school hockey game in Pawtucket left multiple dead; teams from Blackstone Valley Schools were playing, and the suspect later died.

Updated on: Feb 17, 2026 3:57 AM IST

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A shooting at a school hockey game in Pawtucket, Rhode Island on Monday left three dead, including the suspect.

The suspect reportedly died from a self-inflicted family after shooting his family- wife and three children. The wife and one of the children died, while others were injured.

The shooting broke out during a hockey game between teams from Blackstone Valley Schools and Coventry. Fox News reported citing a source from the local ATF that the shooting stemmed from a domestic dispute.

Here is one of the early videos of the shooting that showed chaos outside the ice hockey rink amid police response and evacuation.

Pawtucket Police Chief Tina Goncalves said that the shooting was "targeted" and stemmed from a "family dispute." The first call came to the department at 2:28 p.m. local time, the chief added. Notably, the sheriff, contrary to the Fox News report, did not confirm if the victims had any relation to the shooter.

"It was a Senior Night – a time for them to celebrate and to remember. It’s very unfortunate that this happened today. Again, we’re trying to offer some services. We have the Rhode Island EMA. We have the federal EMA out there," she said.

Also read: Pawtucket shooting: North Smithfield father disarmed gunman during hockey game, hailed as hero

East Providence Mayor Bob DaSilva Reacts

Bob DaSilva, the mayor of East Providence, a neighboring city to Pawtucket, reacted to the incident with a statement on Facebook.

"Our thoughts are with our neighboring community of Pawtucket as they deal with a horrendous mass shooting incident, where one girl has been confirmed killed and four others injured," the statement read. "The shooter apparently also took his life."

The Providence Country Day School said that students, parents and staff who were parents are safe.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Shamik Banerjee
Shamik is a journalist covering the United States for Hindustan Times. He has more than four years of experience reporting on US politics, sports, and major breaking stories across fast-moving cycles. He previously worked at Times Now and Sportskeeda, building strong newsroom instincts and digital storytelling skills. At HT.com, he focuses on day-to-day coverage of US political developments while also handling high-impact stories that demand speed, accuracy, clarity, and context under pressure. Shamik has extensive experience covering NFL game days over the past two years, coordinating live updates, analysis, and explainers. He is particularly drawn to large news moments such as US elections and the Super Bowl, where he thrives at the news desk working alongside the team. He holds degrees in Media Studies from Jamia Millia Islamia and English Literature from Jadavpur University. Before entering journalism, he briefly worked in digital marketing and political consultancy roles. Currently a Senior Content Producer at HT Digital, he is driven by curiosity, discipline, and a constant desire to explore new and obscure topics. Outside work, he enjoys reading, films, sports, and learning continuously.Read More

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