Rhode Island shooting: 2 killed, 3 critically injured at Pawtucket ice rink

The attacker has also died from, likely, a self-inflicted gunshot wound after opening fire at an ice hockey rink in the US.

At least two people have been killed, and three others are in critical condition after a mass shooting at a high school ice hockey game in Pawtucket, Rhode Island.

The suspected gunman died, it appears by a self-inflicted gunshot wound, after opening fire, Pawtucket Police Chief Tina Goncalves said at a news conference on Monday.

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“It appears that this was a targeted event; that it may be a family dispute,” Goncalves added, without providing more details about the suspect or the victims.

Authorities said the first emergency call reporting the shooting was received at 2:28pm local time (19:28 GMT), adding that investigators are still working to piece together the events leading up to the attack.

According to a report by the Providence Journal news outlet, video footage appears to show a rapid burst of about 13 shots over six seconds, followed by a final shot roughly 11 seconds later from an area outside the camera’s view.

Several shots were heard at the Dennis M Lynch Arena before spectators at the hockey match and student athletes began reacting, dropping to the floor to take cover, looking for shelter, and eventually fleeing towards the exits.

Support to Pawtucket

“What should have been a joyful occasion, with dozens of families, students, and supporters gathered to celebrate Senior Night … was instead marked by violence and fear,” Pawtucket Mayor Don Grebien said in a statement.

“Our prayers go out to the victims, their families, and everyone impacted by this devastating incident.”

In a post on X, FBI director Kash Patel said agents from the agency’s Boston Division have been deployed to Pawtucket to support the investigation.

The latest outbreak of gun violence comes roughly two months after a separate shooting at Brown University, a few miles south of Pawtucket. The attack killed two students, wounded nine others, and led to a days-long manhunt across the state.

Pawtucket, located just north of Providence and along the Massachusetts state border, is a city of approximately 75,000 people. It is the fourth-largest city in the state.

High school hockey players and parents speak to a police officer near the Lynch Arena in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, after a shooting at the ice rink on Monday [Mark Stockwell/AP]