After the fatal shooting at an ice hockey game in the US state of Rhode Island, police have identified a 56-year-old as a suspect.
02/18/2026, 04:1402/18/2026, 04:14
The alleged perpetrator opened fire and killed his ex-wife and son, said Pawtucket Police Chief Tina Goncalves. Several people had just overpowered the alleged shooter when he pulled out a second weapon and fatally injured himself. The police chief praised the efforts of the people who held the perpetrator after the shots were fired.
A police officer in front of the ice rink in Pawtucket.Image: keystone
The ex-wife died at the scene and the son died later in the hospital. Three injured people are still in critical condition. These are the parents of the slain ex-wife and a family friend, said Goncalves. The family was in the hall together on Monday (local time) to watch the high school team game.
Nothing precise is known about the motive yet. According to police, the perpetrator had attended hockey games many times before, but no incidents had ever occurred. According to authorities, the 56-year-old also used female names. How CTV News writes, the ex-wife who was killed divorced her husband in 2020 after 30 years of marriage, among other things because of their changed gender identity.
The police had previously announced that they had interviewed hundreds of witnesses about the incident and were evaluating video footage. The incident is part of a “national crisis of gun violence,” said Pawtucket Mayor Donald Grebien. Police asked that videos of the incident not be shared on social media. The game was streamed live. (sda/dpa/con)