At an ice rink in Pawtucket, a town in the northeastern United States, a shooting incident occurred on Monday resulting in two fatalities and three individuals being injured, according to local authorities. Social media videos captured teenagers running in fear from the sound of gunshots.
Tina Goncalves, the police chief of the Rhode Island community, confirmed the death toll, stating, “We have three deceased – the suspect, two victims, and three individuals hospitalized.” Initial findings suggest that the shooting was targeted and possibly linked to a family dispute.
While the identities of the victims have not been disclosed, Goncalves mentioned that the wounded are in critical condition. The prevalence of mass shootings in the U.S. is attributed to the easy access to firearms due to lenient gun control laws.
In 2025, over 400 mass shootings were reported in the country, as per the Gun Violence Archive, which tracks incidents involving four or more individuals being shot or killed, excluding the shooter. Gun violence claimed the lives of at least 14,703 individuals last year, excluding suicides.
The shooting at the high school ice hockey game took place just 3.5 miles away from Brown University, following a similar incident two months prior. Witness accounts and unverified social media footage depicted players, students, and spectators at the Dennis M Lynch Arena fleeing for safety as gunshots echoed through the indoor rink.
An eyewitness, who was on the ice during the shooting, recounted, “After the gunshots me and my teammates ran right to the locker room. We pressed against the door and tried to stay safe down in there.” Videos circulating online captured approximately 12 shots being fired, causing players to scatter and spectators to seek refuge.
Initially, the game continued despite the gunfire, but as the shots persisted, players sought shelter at the rink’s perimeters or made a dash for the exits, while spectators were seen taking cover from the alarming situation.
